Blast near Beit Shemesh was part of planned test, Israeli defence firm says
A large explosion near Beit Shemesh late on Saturday was part of a planned and controlled test, according to a statement by Israel’s state-owned Tomer defence company. The blast was reported at a Tomer testing ground.
JERUSALEM: A large explosion near the central Israeli city of Beit Shemesh late Saturday was part of a pre-planned and controlled test, according to a statement by state-owned Tomer defence company that was cited by The Times of Israel.
Videos on social media showed flames and a large plume of smoke rising from the area following the blast, which was heard in nearby communities.
The Times of Israel said the explosion occurred at a testing ground belonging to Tomer, a company that develops rocket and missile engines.
The company said the blast was a “pre-planned experiment” that was carried out according to schedule.
Israel announced on Thursday the signing of a contract worth more than $34 million to develop “an extended-range” capability for the F-35 Adir fighter jet.
The Defence Ministry said in a statement that its Defence Procurement Directorate signed the deal with Cyclone, a wholly owned subsidiary of Elbit Systems.
The agreement covers “the development of an extended-range capability for the F-35 ‘Adir’ fighter jet, manufactured by Lockheed Martin,” the statement added.
“The deal, valued at over $34 million (over NIS 100 million), covers the development and integration of external fuel tanks based on an existing Cyclone design originally developed for the F-16,” it said.
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