Tel Aviv, Nov 4 (IANS): Israel announced that it has begun the deployment and testing of a huge inflatable missile detection system in the country's northern part.

The Defence Ministry issued photos of the system, which is designed in the shape of a massive zeppelin, reports Xinhua news agency.

The system, comprised of the High Availability Aerostat System and an advanced radar, designed to detect long-range threats when operating at high altitudes.

"It will provide additional detection and early warning capabilities to the existing operational air defence detection array deployed around Israel," the Ministry said in a statement.

The radar system was developed under a cooperative program between the Defence Ministry and the US Missile Defence Agency.

Moshe Patel, director of the Israel Missile Defence Organization, said in the statement that the "aerostat system will cruise at high altitudes and provide an exceptional, multi-directional detection capability against advanced threats".

According to Vice Admiral Jon Hill, head of the US Missile Defence Agency, the system is "another great example of cooperation" between the Israeli and American defence agencies.

"This system will further enhance Israel's advanced threat detection capabilities to maintain Israel's qualitative military edge," he said in the statement.

The system is part of Israel's multi-layered defence doctrine, which is composed of four operational layers: Iron Dome, the medium-to-long-range David's Sling aerial defence system, and the long-range Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 anti-missile systems.