By: Aryeh Savir
Israel has successfully launched the Ofek 16 reconnaissance satellite earlier Monday morning, the Israel Ministry of Defense (MoD) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) stated, a significant boost to Israel’s espionage capabilities.
The launch was performed at 4:00 AM from a launch site based in central Israel, using a domestically-developed “Shavit” launcher.
Ofek 16 is an electro-optical reconnaissance satellite with “advanced capabilities,” the MoD stated.
Its development was enabled by the experience gained by the defense establishment in the production of earlier satellites in the Ofek series, which have been produced and launched since 1988.
During the initial period of operation, the satellite will undergo a series of tests to determine its propriety and performance level and has already reportedly begun to send back data.
Once the satellite is deemed fully operational, the Ministry of Defense will deliver responsibilities to the IDF’s 9900 Intelligence Unit, responsible for collecting imagery intelligence (IMINT) from aerial and satellite imagery.
The Space Administration in the Israel Ministry of Defense has led the development and production of the satellite and the launcher. IAI is the prime contractor, having assigned the program to its Systems, Missiles and Space Group, together with the MLM division, which is responsible for the development of the launcher.
The satellite’s payload was developed by Elbit Systems. The launch engines were developed by Rafael Advanced Systems and Tomer, a government-owned defense company.
Defense Minister, Benny Gantz stated that the successful launch is “yet another extraordinary achievement for the defense establishment, for the defense industries as a whole, and for Israel Aerospace Industries in particular.”
“Technological superiority and intelligence capabilities are essential to the security of the State of Israel. The fact that Israel is one of the 13 countries in the world with satellite launching capabilities is not a given, and was made possible by the people who have been investing in these systems and advancing breakthrough capabilities over the years,” he underscored.
The State of Israel was the seventh country in the world to achieve full space capabilities, and today, Israel is one of 13 countries in the world with such capabilities, alongside the US, Italy, France, Japan, India, the United Kingdom., Ukraine, China, Russia, Iran, North and South Korea.
“We will continue to strengthen and maintain Israel’s capabilities on every front, in every place,” he added.
Israel last launched a spy satellite into space, the Ofek 11, in September 2016. (TPS)
