The Iron Dome is a sophisticated Israeli air defense system designed to intercept and neutralize short-range rockets, artillery shells, and mortars. Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, the Iron Dome has been operational since 2011 and has been deployed in various conflicts involving Israel, notably the Gaza–Israel conflicts and the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.
The system’s effectiveness is notable, with Israel’s military claiming a success rate of up to 90%. It was first deployed near Beersheba on March 27, 2011, and it successfully intercepted a rocket from Gaza for the first time on April 7, 2011. Since then, the Iron Dome has been credited with intercepting over 1,200 rockets aimed at populated areas, significantly reducing the potential for civilian casualties and property damage.
➡️Iron Dome operates using a multi-tiered approach. It consists of a detection and tracking radar, battle management and weapon control (BMC), and missile firing units. The radar system, built by Elta, detects launches and tracks the trajectory of incoming threats. The BMC, developed by mPrest Systems, calculates the impact point and determines whether the target poses a threat to populated areas. If a threat is identified, an interceptor missile is launched from one of the system’s launchers, each capable of holding 20 interceptors.
➡️The interceptor used by the Iron Dome is the Tamir missile, which can reach targets at distances ranging from 4 to 70 kilometers and has a maximum speed of Mach 2.2. The Tamir missile features electro-optical sensors and steering fins with proximity fuze blast warheads, allowing for precise targeting and detonation near the incoming threat.
Deployment of the Iron Dome is strategic and flexible, with each launcher operating independently and capable of being remotely controlled. This scattered deployment pattern allows for the protection of urban areas spanning approximately 150 square kilometers. Additionally, the Iron Dome has been adapted for naval use with the C-Dome variant, designed to protect vessels and offshore assets.
Despite its advanced technology and high success rate, the Iron Dome has faced challenges, particularly when confronted with a barrage of projectiles aimed at overwhelming the system. During intense conflicts, such as the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Hamas claimed to have launched 5,000 rockets in a short period, although the Israeli Defense Forces reported that around 2,200 were fired. The sheer volume of rockets in such attacks aimed to saturate the Iron Dome’s capabilities, as Israel had fewer than a thousand interceptors ready to counter them at the time. Even with a near-perfect interception rate, the large number of incoming threats meant that some missiles could penetrate the defense shield.
The cost of the Iron Dome system is significant, with each interceptor missile estimated to cost between $40,000 to $50,000. The United States has been a key partner in funding the system, contributing over $1.6 billion from 2011 to 2021, with an additional $1 billion approved by Congress in 2022. To support ongoing operations and replenish interceptor stocks, a new missile manufacturing facility was announced in East Camden, Arkansas, a joint venture between U.S. defense contractor RTX Corp and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, set to produce Tamir missiles for both the Iron Dome and its U.S. variant, SkyHunter.
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Something i forgot to mention is that iron dome till now has only been up against small homemade rockets,slowly we see it failing against the Hezballah missiles,its yet to confirm weather the iron dome failed to intercept them or iron dome wasn’t deployed.
➡️@geostratinsight1
vanuit het hart voor de mensheid 