Bush administration appears ready to offer Israel a new radar system capable
of tracking baseball-sized objects from 2,900 miles away
Reuters Published: 05.10.08, 21:54 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3541576,00.html

The Bush administration appears set to offer Israel a powerful radar system
that could greatly boost Israeli defenses against enemy ballistic missiles
while tying it directly into a growing US missile shield.

President George W. Bush is expected to discuss the matter during a visit to
Israel on Wednesday to mark the 60th anniversary of the Jewish state amid
mounting US concerns about perceived threats from Iran, sources said.

This is "probably the No. 2 issue" on Bush's agenda for the visit, second
only to the Middle East peace process, said Rep. Mark Kirk, an Illinois
Republican who has spearheaded calls in Congress for tighter US
missile-defense ties with Israel.

Parting gift from Bush

The system Bush may offer is known as a forward-based X-band radar and has
been described by US officials as capable of tracking an object the size of
a baseball from about 2,900 miles away.

It would let Israel's Arrow missile defenses engage a Shahab-3 ballistic
missile about halfway through what would be its 11-minute flight to Israel
from Iran, or six times sooner than Israel's "Green Pine" Radar is currently
capable of doing, Kirk said on Friday.

"This is the best thing to lower tensions between Israel and Iran" because
Iran presumably would be less likely to attack under such circumstances,
Kirk said.

An Israeli defense official said Israel had discussed a range of "parting
gifts" from Bush, who leaves office on Jan. 20, including military pacts and
technologies.