Dangerous information about the “Israeli Iron Dome”

1- The Israeli Iron Dome system was developed as a ground-based system to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and mortar shells, and was activated for the first time in 2010.

2- Rafael Company developed Iron Dome in cooperation with the American company Raytheon.

3- Iron Dome is operated by missile defense batteries that can defend against mortar and rocket attacks, including those launched from the Palestinian territories. These batteries operate at an estimated distance of about 40 miles from the battery location.

4- The system consists of a radar to detect missiles and a command and control system that analyzes the data provided by the radar, and is directed to intercept and destroy aggressor missiles. The cost of each missile ranges around $40,000, and thus intercepting 3,000 missiles is a major financial challenge.

5- In fact, the radar unit detects incoming missiles and sends information about their speed and path to the battery control center, so that the computers in the center analyze this information and determine whether the missile will hit populated areas, and if it turns out that the missile threatens residential areas, it is launched. Missile from a launcher containing 20 defensive missiles to keep it away from populated areas and reduce damage on the ground.

6- According to the IHS Jane’s Security Analysis Group report in 2012, the Iron Dome missile is highly maneuverable. It is about 3 meters long and about 15 centimeters in diameter, and the group indicates that its weight is estimated at about 90 kilograms.

7- Despite the high cost of the Iron Dome system, it recorded some defects in its effectiveness, the most prominent of which was its inability to deal with mortar shells of 120 mm caliber and less.