Iron Dome Test in South Successful
Missile interception system to start operating in coming weeks.

by Yaakov Katz
Jerusalem Post
July 14, 2010

http://www.jewishpolicycenter.org/1752/iron-dome-test-in-south-successful

Israel inched a step closer on Wednesday to deploying a missile defense system along the border with the Gaza Strip after the Iron Dome successfully intercepted a number of missile barrages in tests held in southern Israel this week.

The tests were overseen by the Defense Ministry, the Israeli Air Force and the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. which developed the Iron Dome, slated to become operational and deployed along the Gaza border in the coming weeks.

The missile barrages that the system succeeded in intercepting included a number of rockets that mimicked Kassam and longer-range Grad-model Katyusha rockets that are known to be in Hamas's arsenal.

The Iron Dome is supposed to be capable of intercepting all of the short-range rockets in fired by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hizbullah in Southern Lebanon. The Iron Dome uses an advanced radar - made by Elta - that locates and tracks the rocket that is then intercepted by a kinetic missile interceptor.

During the test, the radar succeeded in detecting which rockets were headed towards coordinates that were designated as open fields and therefore did not launch an interceptor to destroy them.

The IDF has already established a new battalion that will be part of the IAF's Air Defense Division and will operate the Iron Dome. Prototypes of the Iron Dome have already been supplied to the new battalion which has commenced training with the systems.

The IDF has also located positions along the Gaza border that will be used as bases for the system, which includes a launcher and radar system.

One option is to immediately deploy the system in the field and along one of Israel's volatile borders, likely with the Gaza Strip from where rockets are occasionally fired into Israeli towns. The other option, under consideration, is to store the system in an IAF base and deploy it according to operational requirements.

Related Topics:  Israel, Palestinian Rockets  |  Yaakov Katz receive the latest by email: subscribe to the free jewish policy center mailing list