Israel And Us Hold Simulated Missile Defense Exercise

[Shinobi]

The Raw Story - Tuesday March 20, 2007

Israel and the United States on Tuesday concluded a joint computer-based exercise simulating a non-conventional missile strike, military sources said.

The joint air-defence drill, called Juniper Cobra 2007, was designed to improve "understanding and cooperation" between Israeli and US military forces, the Israeli army said.

The exercise included the testing of Israel's Arrow missile interception system as well as the US-produced Patriot system.

No real missiles were intercepted during the computer simulations, which took place over several days, but "both sides were pleased with the results of the exercise," the sources said.

Israel has in recent years been concentrating efforts on countering the threat of missile attacks from neighbouring Arab states and Iran, which has conducted several long-range missile tests in recent years.

Coupled with Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's calls to wipe Israel "off the face of the map," the Jewish state -- believed to be the region's sole nuclear power -- has come to consider Iran's controversial nuclear plan as an "existential threat."

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Israel_and_US...l_03202007.html
Israel and the United States accuse Iran of using its civil atomic energy programme as a cover for developing nuclear weapons, something Tehran strongly denies.

Israel and the United States conduct bilateral training exercises "on a regular basis," the army said.

[April]

going on right now again, but larger then ever...

Quote:US generals and soldiers flood Israel

A large number of American generals and at least 1,500 US soldiers arrived in Israel this week for one of the largest joint land exercises ever held between the two nations.

Dubbed "Juniper Cobra," the exercise, which is held every year, but never before on such a large scale, is scheduled to last three weeks.

One of the visiting US generals told Israel media that the exercise is in response to "specific threats," which every took to mean primarily the Iranian nuclear threat. There was much speculation that the exercise signaled the US had nearly given up on diplomatic efforts to curb Iran's nuclear program, and was gearing up for the aftermath of an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?...8&nid=19896