Israel's Use Of Air Launched Ballistic Missile On Iran Draws Interest
Israel's Use Of Air Launched Ballistic Missile On Iran Draws Interest
The Israel Defense Forces said its October 26 raid knocked out Iranian missile factories and air defences in three waves of strikes.
Israel's effective use of air-launched ballistic missiles in its airstrikes against Iran is expected to pique interest elsewhere in acquiring the weapons, which most major powers have avoided in favour of cruise missiles and glide bombs.
The Israel Defense Forces said its October 26 raid knocked out Iranian missile factories and air defences in three waves of strikes. Scientists declared that, according to satellite images, the objectives comprised structures previously utilized in Iran's nuclear scheme. Tehran justifies these objectives with a broad range of anti-aircraft mechanisms, according to Justin Bronk, a specialist in airpower and technology at London's Royal United Services Institute. Integrated air defenses find cruise missiles to be simpler targets compared to ballistic missiles. However, ballistic missiles are commonly launched from established points and typically have limited ability to alter their trajectory once airborne. High-speed and highly accurate air-launched ballistic missiles, like the Israel Aerospace Industries Rampage, are considered by experts to overcome challenges faced by ground-launched ballistic missiles and air-launched cruise missiles. These weapons utilize small wings to travel long distances while maintaining a consistent altitude. According to Jeffrey Lewis, who serves as the director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California, the primary advantage of an Air-Launched Ballistic Missile (ALBM) compared to an Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) is its speed, which enables it to penetrate defenses more effectively. The issue of accuracy seems to have been mostly resolved. Ground-launched ballistic missiles are commonly found in the arsenals of many countries. Iran used them to attack Israel twice this year, and both Ukraine and Russia have used them since Russia's invasion in 2022. Also in the same category are cruise missiles.
Since ALBMs are transported by aircraft, their launch locations are adaptable, which assists strike planners.
"The benefit is that being air-launched, they can approach from any angle, making it more difficult to defend against them," explained Uzi Rubin, a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, who helped design Israel's missile defense systems.
However, these weapons can still be countered by air defenses. In Ukraine, Lockheed Martin Patriot PAC-3 missiles have frequently shot down Russia's Khinzhals.
Numerous nations, such as the United States and Britain, tested out ALBMs during the Cold War. Currently, Israel, Russia, and China are the only countries that have hypersonic weapons in their military arsenals. The United States conducted a test of a hypersonic Air-Launched Ballistic Missile (ALBM) called the Lockheed Martin AGM-183, however, it did not receive any funding for the 2025 fiscal year. Due to its substantial assortment of cruise missiles and other long-range strike weapons, Washington has shown limited interest in ALBMs. A US Air Force official, speaking anonymously, mentioned that ALBMs are not utilized in Air Force operations. Raytheon's SM-6, originally an air-defense missile, has now been adapted for air-to-air and surface-to-surface missions. According to a senior US defense technical analyst, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the topic, the missile has undergone testing as an air-launched anti-ship weapon. The analyst reported that in tests, the missile successfully hit a small target on land, simulating the center of mass of a destroyer. Openly, the SM-6 is not designed for air-to-ground attacks. According to an anonymous defence industry executive, many countries with precision weapons already have the means to develop ALBMs, as they consist of guidance systems, warheads, and rocket motors. The executive stated that this tactic allows for the utilization of existing technologies and components to create a cost-effective and innovative weapon with increased capabilities and options.
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