U.S. SUPPORT FOR THE DEFENSE OF ISRAEL

Despite all the conservative hysteria about the framework for a nuclear agreement with Iran, there really doesn't seem to be much of a threat to Israel considering all the money we've pumped into defensive systems.

Israel tests U.S.-backed missile shield as Iran nuclear talks churn
JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON | By Dan Williams and Andrea Shalal
Wed Apr 1, 2015 4:10pm EDT

(Reuters) - A new Israeli air defense system being developed in partnership with the United States met all its objectives in a series of recent live interception tests, U.S. and Israeli officials said Wednesday, putting it on course for deployment by next year.

The system, David's Sling, shot down targets simulating longer-range missiles like Scuds that could be fired at Israel from Syria and by Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah guerrillas.

Designed to shoot down rockets with ranges of 100 km to 200 km (63 miles to 125 miles), aircraft or low-flying cruise missiles, David's Sling will fill the operational gap between Israel's Iron Dome short-range rocket interceptor and the Arrow ballistic missile interceptor, both already in service.

Israeli officials last month asked Congress for an additional $317 million for David's Sling and other Israeli missile defense programs, on top of $158 million already requested by the Obama administration in its fiscal 2016 budget.