Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system has intercepted thousands of rockets since it became operational in 2011, providing the country with vital protection in times of conflict.
It has been heavily relied upon to protect military and civilian sites from rockets repeatedly fired from Gaza and Lebanon in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
Israel’s air defenses were under fire Tuesday night when Iran fired missiles at Israel in what it said was a response to Israel’s killing of Tehran-backed militant leaders.
Israel’s military chief of staff Herzi Halevi said Tuesday that the Iranian barrage was partially blunted by “a very strong air defense array.”
The system also intercepted more than 200 drones and missiles launched by Iran on April 13.
Israel initially developed Iron Dome alone after the 2006 Lebanon War and was later joined by the United States, which has provided its defense information and billions of dollars in financial support for the program.
The system has an interception rate of about 90 percent, according to Israeli defense firm Rafael, which helped design it.
This is how it works:
three part system
Iron Dome is a part of Israel’s multi-layered missile defense systems and is designed to intercept short-range rockets at a distance of up to 70 kilometers (43 mi).
Each Iron Dome battery is composed of three main sections: a radar detection system, a computer to calculate the trajectory of the incoming rocket, and a launcher that fires the interceptor if the rocket hits a built-up or strategic area. There is a possibility of doing.
It sits alongside other missile defense systems like Arrow, which counters ballistic missiles, and David’s Sling, for medium-range rocket or missile attacks.
How much does it cost?
Each Iron Dome interceptor costs $40,000 to $50,000 to produce, according to the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The think tank estimates that a complete system, including radar, computers and three to four launchers – each carrying 20 interceptors – costs about $100 million to produce.
According to Raytheon, there are 10 such systems operating in Israel that help build Iron Dome. Other estimates put the figure slightly higher.
bipartisan US support
Iron Dome is one of the strategic pillars of the US-Israeli alliance that has been pursued by successive Democratic and Republican administrations.
In August 2019 the US military signed a contract to purchase two Iron Dome batteries to enhance its short-range missile defense capabilities.
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