The United States and Israel will conduct their largest joint military exercise ever, dubbed Austere Challenge, later this month. More than 3,500 Americans and 1,000 Israelis will participate in a three-week drill tackling threat scenarios and focusing in part on the two allies’ coordinated air defense systems. In addition to testing anti-missile assets such as Israel’s Iron Dome against simulated missile, rocket, and mortar attacks, the exercise will test response and coordination against a hostile drone such as the one last week that penetrated Israeli airspace before being destroyed by the Israeli Air Force. This week Israel will also host a visiting delegation of American counter-terrorism experts, who are in the country to discuss counter-terrorism best practices and technology.

[Photo: Matanya / WikiCommons]