Israel will soon have the capability of sending satellite-mounted cameras into orbit, according to experts quoted Thursday in the Israeli daily Ma’ariv.
Israel’s Ofek (horizon) program has to date launched two satellites into orbit, neither of which, according to the Israeli government, carried cameras or was intended for military use.
Foreign sources, however, have claimed that the Ofek-2 probe, launched April 3, 1990, was a spy probe and did, in fact, carry a camera.
In March, Defense Minister Moshe Arens made a surprise announcement that Israel would soon be launching its own spy satellite. It was the first public disclosure by a senior Cabinet member that Israel had a spy satellite program.
Arens’ announcement followed criticism by members of the opposition that Israel’s intelligence services had not performed well during the Persian Gulf crisis.
During the Gulf crisis and the Persian Gulf War, Israel had to depend on U.S. satellite data for intelligence about Iraqi troop movements and Scud missile launchers. Arens had countered criticism by saying Israel had relayed information to the United States.
Arens enthusiastically supports the project’s continuation, but says Ofek’s fate depends on an increased defense budget.
Defense sources are saying the war proved the necessity for spy satellites.
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