ANALYSIS – While it is not known how many Hamas rockets have been intercepted by Israel’s ‘Iron Dome’ short-range air defense system, a lot have been destroyed in flight, as video from journalists on the ground prove (see videos below).
The problem is Hamas, as well as to a far lesser extent Hezbollah in Lebanon to the north, have fired a few thousand missiles into Israel since Saturday’s terror assault. (RELATED: How The Brutal Iran-Backed Terror Assault On Israel Unfolded)
Israel says they have fired two to three thousand, Hamas claims they have launched 5,000. Regardless of the true number, most of the over 1,000 Israeli casualties were apparently not caused by rockets but by the jihadist terrorists murdering them in person. (RELATED: Hamas Savages Slaughter 40 Israeli Babies)
In that sense, the Iron Dome, operational since 2011 and with a reported success rate of around 90-97%, has been a qualified success.
The Israeli system, a collaboration between Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and America’s Raytheon corporation, is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 2.5 miles to 44 miles.
CBS News reported that Iron Dome:
…uses radar, advanced tracking technology and anti-missile batteries to follow the trajectory of incoming rockets and mortars. The technology determines if rockets are headed toward a populated area and, if they are, Iron Dome is used to fire Tamir interceptors at the incoming projectiles. Rockets that don’t pose a threat are allowed to fall into empty areas.
…The interceptors cost as much as $100,000 apiece. Some cost estimates are lower, with the Institute for National Security Studies reporting in 2021 that an interceptor missile is about $40,000 – $50,000.
Israel has at least 10 Iron Dome batteries throughout the country. Each one is designed to defend a 60-square-mile populated area. The batteries can be moved as threats change.
According to Raytheon, a U.S. defense contractor that produces some of the components of the Iron Dome’s interceptors, each battery has three launchers loaded with up to 20 Tamir interceptor missiles each.
As part of a co-production agreement signed by both countries in 2014, many Iron Dome interceptor components are made in the United States at Raytheon’s missiles and defense facility in Tucson, Arizona and elsewhere and then assembled in Israel.
As part of the deal, Israel agreed to share all its proprietary Iron Dome technology with the U.S.
Because of the massive number of terror rockets launched and the number of Iron Dome interceptor missiles fired to stop them, Israel’s stores of missiles are likely to be getting low.
This means the United States may have to ramp up production to supply its ally.
During a Monday background briefing, a senior U.S. Defense official gave assurance that the U.S. would be able to keep Israel’s Iron Dome system fully stocked: “Let me just say at this point, for every request that our Israeli counterparts have made of us, we are able to meet those requests.”
The official added: “And one of those areas, of course, is ongoing discussion about the air defense needs they have.”
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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Need Iron Dome for the US 2 unless ours is better
It seems the Israel had multiple failures with regard to the Hamas attacks. First they failed to heed the warnings from Egypt a week or two before the attack took place. Second they obviously did not have the Iron Dome active at all. Third the infiltration by airborne terrorists using gliders should have need detected by radar or the Iron Dome network. Why would Israel become so complacent that they let their guard down ?? Something is not right about this at all.