The largest-ever joint defense exercise between the United States and Israel kicked off on Sunday and is lasting for three weeks in the Jewish state.

Austere Challenge 12 (AC12), an air and missile defense training exercise, will involve 3,500 U.S. military members and another 1,000 from the Israel Defense Forces, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

U.S., Israel Launch Largest-Ever Joint Defense Exercise
Oct. 23, 2012

The largest-ever joint defense exercise between the United States and Israel kicked off on Sunday and is lasting for three weeks in the Jewish state.

Austere Challenge 12 (AC12), an air and missile defense training exercise, will involve 3,500 U.S. military members and another 1,000 from the Israel Defense Forces, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

Both countries are testing a wide-range of operational air-defense systems, as well as those still in their planning stages, including the Israeli “Arrow 2” and “Arrow 3” anti-ballistic missile systems; the American “Thaad” (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate ballistic missiles) system; Israel’s “Patriot” surface-to-air missile array; Israel’s “Magic Wand” system (designed to intercept medium-to long-range rockets and slower-flying cruise missiles), and even Israel’s “Iron Dome” system (designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells), which has already proven its effectiveness in the Gaza arena.

“I think it’s a very significant commitment and I’m very pleased that the United States is doing this, it’s a big event,” David Ganz, national president of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) and a resident of Belmont, Mass., told JNS.org. “I think that a lot can be learned on both sides, from the American side and the Israeli side.”

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