Israel wants to buy US missile defence system

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JERUSALEM, April 21 (AP): Defence Minister Ehud Barak hopes to buy a US missile defence system to protect Israeli towns from short-range rockets and mortar fire, defence officials said Tuesday.
Barak plans to ask US Defence Secretary Robert Gates to sell Israel the Vulcan-Phalanx cannon and radar system when he visits Washington in June, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the request has not yet formally been made.
The Vulcan-Phalanx - manufactured by US company Raytheon Co is to be integrated into a multilayer defence umbrella that will include Israel's Iron Dome and two other missile systems being developed with the United States, the officials said.
During Israel's recent military offensive into the Gaza Strip, Palestinians there fired rockets more than 45 kilometres into Israel. They continue to lob mortar shells across the border.