The Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) has handed over a giant balloon equipped with an advanced sensor system to detect incoming aerial threats from the north.
The Tal Shamayim (“Sky Dew”) is one of the largest aerial threat warning systems in the world. It was turned over on Tuesday to the Israeli Air Force (IAF) after years of testing and evaluation.
The system comprises a blimp capable of flying at high altitudes with radar and detection systems to scan a wide range in any direction.
Developed under a cooperative program between the IMDO and the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the system detects incoming long-range missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.
According to Israeli officials, the deployment of the aerostat-based system is part of the country’s effort to bolster its air defense capabilities in the north amid growing threats from Iranian drones and cruise missiles.
‘Maximum Detection Capability’
In a ceremony attended by IAF and MDA officials on Tuesday, Maj. Gen. Amikam Nurkin explained that the country faces significant defense challenges, particularly in the north.
He said that the deployment of Sky Dew is a “leap forward” in the build-up of an air control system that enables the creation of a more accurate picture of the sky.
IMDO head Moshe Fattal explained that developing the giant missile-detecting balloon was a “challenging mission” begun a decade ago.
Now that the system has been deployed in northern Israel, Fattal says that the Sky Dew system “will change reality.”
“The aerial detection balloon will sail at high altitude, will observe long distances, and will allow maximum detection capability of advanced threats from different directions,” he stated.