Iron Dome is an Israeli air defence system developed by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries
Hezbollah, a Lebanese militia backed by Tehran, launched rockets and projectiles at Israel in 1990. As a result, policymakers agreed to do away with it. Since Hezbollah used guerilla tactics, Israel needed a new form of defense. They initially planned to target Hezbollah's arms caches, but this resulted in only minor damage. As a result, they desired a missile defense system of their own. At first, the US warned them that it would not work and that they were doomed to fail.
The anti-missile project did not advance as quickly as planned due to US pressure, but when Brig. General Daniel Gold was named as the project's head in 2004, it gained critical traction, and by 2007, Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Perez had chosen Iron Dome as their primary anti-missile weapon.
What is new here?
Iron Dome is a mobile platform that can be quickly deployed in Israel. It was first stationed to intercept missiles at the Gaza and Lebanese borders. Anti-missile defense systems are typically used to destroy ballistic missiles, but this was the first system to be used against short-range missiles, specifically rapidly fired missiles. It demonstrated its capability against Qassam and BM-21 Grad rockets. Some of the missile components were taken from a Toys "R" Us toy car due to schedule and low-cost setting constraints, according to Iron Dome's leading creators.
Specifications :
Over multinational giants including Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, Brig. Gen. Daniel Gold preferred an indigenous software business called Rafael. The machine employs the "Tamir" missile. It has a range of 70 kilometers, can operate at all hours of the day and night in inclement weather, and can respond to several threats at once. It is made up of three main sections.
Elta, an Israeli defense corporation and a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industry, and the Israeli Defense Forces jointly developed the detection and tracking radar system.
BMC (Battle Management & Weapon Control): An Israeli software firm, mPrest Systems, designed the control center for Rafael.
The Missile Firing Unit fires the Tamir interceptor missile, which is fitted with electro-optical sensors and several steering fins for high maneuverability. Rafael is the company that makes the missile.
Each system is capable of carrying up to 20 missiles and dealing with multiple targets at the same time. Precision-guided missiles are also no match for it.
Operational History:
In 2011, the system was fully operational. To defeat artillery barrages, it is now deployed in all Israeli air force bases. During the Gaza conflicts and the Sinai insurgency, the system proved to be very successful. CNN announced in 2012 that the device had an 85 percent performance rate. The system has been upgraded on a regular basis. During the Gaza clashes in November 2018, the weapon intercepted 100 missiles fired from Gaza. In the same year, Iran's revolutionary guards launched 20 missiles, four of which were intercepted and 16 of which failed to enter Israeli territory. There were no injuries. And during the ongoing 2021's armed clash with Hamas has proved it ad the the world's most effective air defence system.
US funding:
In its FY-2013 Defense Authorization Act, the US House of Representatives included study language supporting Iron Dome with $680 million. A deal was struck to produce this device jointly to defend US bases from Taliban and then AQ attacks. With the US on track to significantly raise support for Iron Dome, there have been demands for Iron Dome technology transfer and co-production in the US. In 2019, it was reported that Israel declined to share its source code with the US for security reasons, fearing that the device would be purchased by its Arab neighbors in the future.
Future deployments:
Iron Dome batteries, which will operate in tandem with Israel's Barak 8 missile system, will be deployed at sea to secure off-shore gas platforms. Two Iron Dome batteries will be deployed on each of the Israeli Navy's potential Sa'ar 6 missile submarines.
For both defensive and offensive purposes, Israel seems to have the upper hand over its Arab neighbors. It has created a specific weapon and unveiled a new dimension of the defense sector with the financial assistance of the United States and technical support from its domestic tech companies. This method has piqued the attention of India, Azerbaijan, and South Korea. We shouldn't be surprised at all if we see it deployed along the Indo-Bangladesh border.
