Report: Israel test fired nuclear
 capable, sub-launched cruise
 missiles
 By Douglas Davis 
 LONDON (June 19) - Israel secretly test-fired
 cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear
 weapons off the coast of Sri Lanka last month, the
 Sunday Times of London reported yesterday.  
 Quoting Israeli defense sources, the paper reported
 that the tests were conducted from two
 German-built, Dolphin-class submarines and
 involved Israeli-made missiles equipped with
 conventional warheads hitting targets at sea at a
 range of about 1,500 kilometers.  
 The sources were quoted as saying the launches
 were intended to simulate swift retaliation against a
 preemptive nuclear attack from Iran.  
 Israel is only the third country - after America and
 Russia - to acquire the ability to fire
 nuclear-capable cruise missiles from submarines.  
 The navy dismissed the report. "The report is
 baseless. This kind of test firing did not take place,"
 said a statement by the IDF Spokesman.  
 Nevertheless, reports of the Dolphin's
 cruise-missile capability continue to surface in the
 foreign press. Israel has never admitted that it has
 any cruise missiles and has sought Tomahawks from
 the US, which has so far rejected the request.  
 However, according to Jane's Defense Weekly,
 Israel has modified the Popeye Turbo into an
 air-launched cruise missile with a range of over
 200 km. The Popeye was developed and built by
 Rafael, which has a sophisticated missile
 development division.  
 TAAS-Israel Industries has also developed the
 air-launched Delilah cruise missile, which has a
 range of 400 km.  
 The Dolphin has 10 multi-purpose torpedo tubes
 which are designed for 21-inch diameter weapons.  
 The submarines, which were origi…
			
							
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