Tel Aviv. The Israeli ministry of defence expects that the performance of the Iron Dome air defence system in the recent war between Israel and the Hamas in Gaza will result in new requests to buy the system. Some of the requests are expected from Gulf States.
Updated data shows that about 3,000 of the rockets fired in the current operation penetrated Israeli territory. The rest landed within the Gaza Strip. Of the 3,000 missiles that penetrated Israel, more than 1,500 were supposed to fall in populated areas. A summary of all the data shows that out of 1500, the Iron Dome system was able to intercept 1428 missiles. This reflects a 95 % kill rate.
In May 2020, Rafael and Raytheon Technologies signed a joint venture agreement to produce Iron Dome interceptors and launchers in an all-up-round facility in the US. The partnership is called Raytheon Rafael Area Protection Systems (R2S).
Sources said that the performance of the Iron Dome in the Gaza clash and the declaration of US President Joe Biden that the US will help Israel renew its arsenal of Iron Dome interceptors, will accelerate the needed action that will enable the full production of the Iron Dome in the new R2S facility.
While being upgraded continuously, the Israeli Iron Dome air defence system, marks the 10th anniversary of the first combat interception. Iron Dome’s development began in December 2007, and was completed in less than 3 years. Iron Dome has played an instrumental role in every conflict since then, by stopping thousands of rockets from hitting Israel, spanning small to large mortars and rockets with varying ranges and warheads. Iron Dome serves as highly mobile, dual mission systems, designed to defeat Very Short Range (VSHORAD), as well as rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) threats, aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, PGMs, and cruise missiles.
According to Rafael, Iron Dome provides robust, yet selective defence. Its ability to discriminate between threats headed towards a populated area and those that will fall into the sea or open fields, reduces costs, and limits unnecessary interceptor launches. A single battery can protect a medium-sized city.
Iron Dome’s development has continued throughout the years, and its capabilities today include wider coverage, providing protection against a broader spectrum of threats, the ability to handle simultaneous threats, very high-volume salvos, and much more.
In August 2019, Israel’s Ministry of Defence and the US Defence Department signed an agreement for the purchase of two Iron Dome batteries for the US Army. Both batteries have now been delivered to the US.
Rafael has developed additional variants of the Iron Dome system, to form a family that consists of the naval variant C-Dome, providing protection of strategic naval and land assets against advanced ballistic, aerial and surface-to surface threats, including saturated attacks. C-Dome is operational with the Israeli Navy. Iron Dome is also offered as an integrated, all-in-one air defence (I-Dome) system for manoeuvering tactical forces in the field on a single vehicle.
-The writer is an International Roving Correspondent of the publication.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
