Sdot Micha Airbase

Sdot Micha Airbase (in Hebrew: שדות מיכה‎) is an Israeli Air Force (IAF) missile base and depot, whose existence Israel neither confirms nor denies. It is situated in the center of Israel, halfway from Jerusalem to the Mediterranean Sea and extends nearly 13 km from southeast to northwest. The center of the base is located 1.5 km north of Moshav Sdot Micha.

Sdot Micha Israeli Air Force Base
Air Wing 2
שדות מיכה
Sdot Micha, Jerusalem District in Israel
Sdot Micha is located in Jerusalem
Sdot Micha
Sdot Micha
Shown within Israel
Sdot Micha is located in Israel
Sdot Micha
Sdot Micha
Sdot Micha (Israel)
Coordinates31°44′19″N 34°55′10″E
TypeMilitary missile base
Site information
OwnerIsrael Defense Forces
OperatorIsraeli Air Force
Site history
Built1962 (1962)
In use1962 - present

Name

The secret airbase has been called many names.[1] It is most commonly called by sources as Sdot Micha Airbase due to its proximity to Moshav Sdot Micha,[2] and less commonly Zechariah Airbase (including different spelling), due to its proximity to Moshav Zechariah.[3] or Kanaf 2 Airbase (literally Air Wing 2 Airbase).[4]

In July 2017 the IDF temporarily uncovered the name of the airforce's 11th and secret airforce base called Sdot HaElah, but after the press had picked it up, it disappeared again from their website. The village Sdot Micha is located in the Valley of Elah, (עמק האלה‎ Emek HaElah in Hebrew),[5][6] 4 km northwest of where David and Goliath are believed to have fought. The stream Elah (Nahal HaElah) runs south of the village but is dry for most of the year.

A 2005 official Israeli document regarding the Privatization of the Military Industry of Israel Ltd. later renamed IMI Systems (Resolution no. M'Kh/24 of the Ministerial Committee on Privatization Affairs dated 28.08.2005) states: "IMI's rights in part of the land division known as "Area 209" designated for the "Arrow" battery were sold by IMI to the Ministry of Defense under an agreement dated May 10, 2005."[7] In the official documents published at the time of the sale of IMI Systems to Elbit Systems (Resolution No. M'Kh/2 of the Ministerial Committee on Privatization of 23.12.2013) the base is referred to again as Area 209 (in Hebrew שטח אש 209). A restricted airspace and restricted military area covering an area of 12,550 dunams in the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. The area was allocated to the Ministry of Defense by Israel Land Authority.[8][9][10]

Missiles

Nuclear missiles, positions

It is believed that the base is a missile launch facility for nuclear-tipped Jericho 2 IRBMs and probably Jericho 3 ICBMs. Satellite images show launch areas for mobile missiles very explicitly, which is part of their deterrence.[11][12][13]

The roads for the mobile missile systems are in between ridges of hills, which has the advantage that the missile bunkers could be dug into the limestone hills around and only need massive doors to protect them from nuclear explosions - direct hits excluded. The missile sites are also hidden there and cannot to be seen from the outside.[14]

Anti-missile system

According to Jane's Defence Weekly, Sdot Micha is also a location for the new Arrow 3 ABM, designed to intercept (nuclear) missiles coming from Iran. This is a joint venture of Israel and the United States and has been deployed there in the beginning of 2017. Satellite photos show the construction of four bunkers capable to withstand nuclear explosions. In each bunker a mobile launcher with six Arrow 3 missiles can be deployed. The US have accidentally published where the exact locations of the bunkers are.[15][16][17]

All larger missiles of Israel are built in the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) MLM Division missile plant in Be'er Ya'akov, 20 km northwest to the base.[18][19] Northwest near the base is also Tel Nof Airbase where F-15 jets can be equipped with nuclear bombs probably stored in the depot of Sdot Micha.[20]

Units
  • Shavit (civilian Jericho 2) missile launching on June 11. 2007
    Shavit (civilian Jericho 2) missile launching on June 11. 2007
  • Third stage of a Shavit / Jericho 2 with IAI logo
    Third stage of a Shavit / Jericho 2 with IAI logo
  • Test start of an Arrow 3 on February 25. 2013
    Test start of an Arrow 3 on February 25. 2013
  • Map of the depot and the Sdot Micha Airbase with missile sites
    Map of the depot and the Sdot Micha Airbase with missile sites

History

The base was established in 1962 on the land of the depopulated Palestinian Arab village of Al-Burayj.[21]

  • Greek Orthodox monastery in Arab Palestinian village of Al-Burayj, 1948
    Greek Orthodox monastery in Arab Palestinian village of Al-Burayj, 1948
  • Another photo of the village Al-Burayj after its capture by Israeli soldiers in 1948
    Another photo of the village Al-Burayj after its capture by Israeli soldiers in 1948
  • Map of the village Al-Burayj and its surroundings in 1947
    Map of the village Al-Burayj and its surroundings in 1947

See also

References
  1. Kristensen, Hans M.; Norris, Robert S. (2014-11-01). "Israeli nuclear weapons, 2014". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 70 (6): 97–115. Bibcode:2014BuAtS..70f..97K. doi:10.1177/0096340214555409. ISSN 0096-3402. S2CID 145750244.
  2. "Rocket engine test likely caused blast in central Israel, analyst says". Ynet. Associated Press. 2021-04-25. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  3. "סכנת חורבן הבית השלישי". News1 (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  4. "No More Secrets". sgp.fas.org. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  5. "Israeli Army Reveals Existence of Previously Undisclosed Air Force Base". Haaretz. 20 July 2017.
  6. "IDF Reveals (Partially) Existence of Secret Nuclear Base Exposed Here Six Years Ago - Tikun Olam תיקון עולם". Tikun Olam תיקון עולם. 2017-07-18. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  7. "הפרטת התעשייה הצבאית לישראל בע"מ (תע"ש) | מספר החלטה 0024". GOV.IL (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  8. "Exhibit". www.sec.gov. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  9. "דיווח: הניסוי הרקטי של תומר בוצע בקרבת בסיס סודי של חיל האוויר". Israel Defense (in Hebrew). 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  10. "הפרטת התעשייה הצבאית לישראל בע"מ (תע"ש) | מספר החלטה 0024". GOV.IL (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  11. "Jericho 2". Missile Threat. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  12. "Jericho 3". Missile Threat. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  13. Kristensen, Hans M.; Norris, Robert S. (2014-11-01). "Israeli nuclear weapons, 2014". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 70 (6): 97–115. Bibcode:2014BuAtS..70f..97K. doi:10.1177/0096340214555409. ISSN 0096-3402.
  14. "Zachariah - Israel - Special Weapons Facilities". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  15. "Jane's: U.S.-Built $25-Million Base for Israel's Arrow 3 ABM, Built to Counter Iran - Tikun Olam תיקון עולם". Tikun Olam תיקון עולם. 2013-06-04. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  16. "U.S. Exposes Location, Layout of Top-Secret Israeli Arrow 3 Missile Base - Tikun Olam תיקון עולם". Tikun Olam תיקון עולם. 2013-06-07. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  17. "Arrow 3 Interceptor". www.iai.co.il. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  18. "Systems Missiles & Space". www.iai.co.il. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  19. IsraeliPM (2019-01-22), PM Netanyahu at the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) MLM Division plant, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2019-06-10
  20. "IDF / AF - Israel Air Bases". www.cieldegloire.com. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  21. Khalidi, Walid (1992). All That Remains: The Palestinian Villages Occupied and Depopulated by Israel in 1948. Washington D.C.: Institute for Palestine Studies. p. 282. ISBN 0-88728-224-5.
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