Tomer develops and manufactures the rocket engines and boosters powering the Arrow missile interceptors, a central element in the State of Israel’s multi-layered defense system.

Led by the Ministry of Defense, through Israel’s Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) at the Defense R&D Directorate (RD&DD), the Arrow Weapon System (AWS) is the first and only operational missile defense system worldwide. The AWS is designed to intercept ballistic missiles carrying different types of warheads, covering wide areas to provide a comprehensive defense of sensitive areas, strategic sites, and large populated areas.

The Arrow system comprises advanced sensors detecting and tracking missile targets. Its Arrow 2, and Arrow 3 interceptor missiles intercept and destroy approaching ballistic missiles.

The Silver Sparrow Target Missile is part of the Arrow project’s test and evaluation program. Silver Sparrow simulates the ballistic missiles that the arrow is required to intercept. Tomer develops and manufactures the rocket engines for this target missile.

The Arrow 3 is the latest variant of the Arrow 1 and Arrow 2 missiles, whose development began in the early 1990s. In January 2017, Arrow 3 was declared operational with the first missiles delivered to the Israeli Air Force. On July 28, 2019, the Arrow system completed a successful series of flight tests conducted in the state of Alaska in the United States (US), in collaboration with the US Department of Defense. The tests demonstrated a successful interception of a target missile, destroyed by a direct hit (Hit to kill) outside the atmosphere. 

Moshe Patel, head of the IMDO stated: “Over ten years of continuous development have brought us to this moment, where the Arrow 3 weapon system performed a series of tests, culminated with a full intercept of a target missile. This is an extraordinary operational and technological achievement for the State of Israel, with the participation of thousands of employees, officers, and engineers from the Ministry of Defense, the defense industries, the Israeli Air Force, and our partners in the United States. 

The fact that the experiment took place in Alaska, tens of thousands of kilometers from the State of Israel, is another unprecedented achievement that indicates the maturity of the Arrow 3 system to withstand any threat successfully. This is a joint, impressive, and unique activity of the US and Israeli governments, which emphasizes the close and strategic cooperation between the countries in the field of missile defense.” 

“These successful tests mark a major milestone in the development of the Arrow Weapon System,” said MDA Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill. “This unique success in Alaska provides confidence in future Israeli capabilities to defeat the developing threats in the region. My congratulations to the Israel Missile Defense Organization, our MDA team, and our industry partners. We are committed to assisting the Government of Israel in upgrading its national missile defense capability to defend the State of Israel from emerging threats.”

Developing the Rocket Propulsion for – LRAD

As a subcontractor of IAI, Tomer develops and manufactures advanced rocket propulsion systems for IAI’s LRAD naval, air, and land-based air and missile defense systems. Among the unique propulsion systems designed by Tomer, the dual-pulse rocket motor developed for LRAD combines the booster and sustainer phases to operate separately in a single-engine.

Tomer also manufactures rocket boosters – small rocket engines used as accelerators for interception missiles, providing the missiles the initial impulse that brings them to the required height and speed to pursue target interception.