The Iron Dome is an effective and innovative mobile defense solution for countering short range rockets and 155 mm artillery shell threats with ranges of up to 70 km in all weather conditions, including low clouds, rain, dust storms or fog. The Iron Dome is developed by the Israeli Defence Company Rafael. Development of Iron Dome began in January 2008, and is virtually complete after just two and a half years. The system uses a unique interceptor with a special warhead that detonates any target in the air within seconds. The Iron dome is a cost effective system that can handle multiple threats simultaneously and efficiently. The Iron Dome system has been selected by the Israeli Defense Ministry as the best system offering the most comprehensive defense solution against a wide range of threats in a relatively short development cycle and at low cost. The Iron Dome System, which is expected to provide defense to residents of Israel's South against rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, is entering into the final stages of performance testing and was even presented this week for the first time in an exhibition of technological weapons which was held at the Rabin military base. The Iron Dome system became operational in early 2011, initially deployed at air force bases in southern Israel. It will be set up in other areas, such as the town of Sderot, during significant escalations along the Gaza border.
Background
Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, fired rockets into northern Israeli population centers in the 1990s, posing a security challenge for the Israel Defense Forces. Israel had floated the idea of its own short-range antimissile system, but American defense officials cautioned that it would be "doomed to fail".
In 2004, the idea for Iron Dome gained momentum with the installation of Brig. Gen. Daniel Gold as the head of the research and development bureau of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Gold was a strong backer of the antimissile project, even skirting army contracting regulations to secure financing.He also helped persuade key politicians to support the project.
During the 2006 Second Lebanon War, approximately 4,000 Hezbollah-fired rockets (the great majority of which were short-range Katyusha rockets) landed in northern Israel, including on Haifa, the country's third largest city. The rocket barrage killed 44 Israeli civiliansand caused some 250,000 Israeli citizens to evacuate and relocate to other parts of Israel while an estimated 1 million Israelis were confined in or near bomb shelters during the conflict.
To the south, more than 8,000 projectiles (estimated at 4,000 rockets and 4,000 mortar bombs) were fired indiscriminately into Israeli population centers from Gaza between 2000 and 2008, principally by Hamas. Almost all of the rockets fired were Qassams launched by 122 mm Grad launchers smuggled into the Gaza Strip, giving longer range than other launch methods. Nearly a million Israelis living in the south were within rocket range, posing a serious security threat to the country and its citizens.
In February 2007, Defense Minister Amir Peretz selected Iron Dome as Israel's defensive solution to this short-range rocket threat.[20] Since then, the $210 million system has been developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems working jointly with the IDF.
Etymology
Project leader Colonel S. and his team in the Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure (Maf'at) had very little spare time, and only on the weekends could they think of an appropriate name for the system. According to Colonel S., "The first name I thought of was 'Anti-Qassam', but when the project started to move forward I realized it was problematic... I sat down with my wife, and together we thought of suitable names. She suggested the name 'Tamir' (Hebrew acronym for טיל מיירט, Til Meyaret, 'interceptor missile') for the missile, and for the system itself we thought of 'Golden Dome'. The following Sunday, 'Tamir' was immediately approved, but there was a problem with 'Golden Dome'—it could be perceived as ostentatious. So it was changed to 'Iron Dome'.
Iron Dome is composed of three fundamental elements - a detection and tracking radar, battle management and weapon control system (BMC). A missile firing unit (MFU) with 20 ready to fire from container-launchers (three launchers for one single battery). The radar system EL/M-2084 has been developed by an Israeli defence company, Elta. The control system has been built by an Israeli software company, mPrest Systems, engaged by Rafael.
System Operation
The Iron Dome radar detects and identifies the rocket or artillery shell launch and monitors its trajectory. Target data is transmitted to the Battle Management & Weapon Control (BMC) for processing. The threat’s trajectory is quickly analyzed and the expected impact point is estimated. If the estimated rocket trajectory poses a critical threat, a command is given within seconds and an interceptor is launched against the threat.
The interceptor receives trajectory updates from the BMC via uplink communication. The interceptor approaches the target and uses its radar seeker to acquire the target and guides the interceptor within passing distance. The target warhead is detonated over a neutral area, therefore reducing collateral damage to the protected area. The Iron Dome is able to intercept and eliminate a wide range of threats as mortar shells through Hamas' Qassams, Hezbollah's Katyusha rockets and even the Fajr rockets supplied by Iran to Hezbollah and Hamas. Beside its role as a C-RAM system, Iron Dome can also provide combined C-RAM and Very Short Range Air Defense (VSHORAD) defense for air bases, military staging areas as well as coverage for maneuver units in the corps, division and brigade areas of responsibility - protecting stationary as well as mobile elements such as command posts, artillery fire units, troop concentrations etc. A single Iron Dome battery is required to protect an urban area of approximately 150 sq km from rockets fired at a range of 15 km, with the defended area growing if the rockets are fired from greater distances
Mobility
The battery is usually carried on a 6x6 vehicle, and can be rapidly placed in position to protect strategic infrastructure targets, civilian population centres or key military targets. Each Iron Dome battery has 20 interceptors, all of which can engage different targets at the same time.
Missile
The missile launched by the firing unit of Iron Dome includes Tamir interceptor missiles. It has several steering fins for high manoeuvrability and is equipped with electro-optic sensors. The Tamir interceptor was designed for high efficiency and low cost. The missile uses elements that have already been proven in other Rafael designs, and employs new components designed for other in a special warhead that detonates any target in the air within seconds. Tamir missile , is 3 m long, weighs 90 kg and has a 160 mm diameter.
Plans for co-production with the United States
With the United States on track to greatly increase funding for Iron Dome, there have been calls for technology transfer and co-production of Iron Dome in the United States. Just as the US and Israel share co-production of the Arrow III missile system, with Boeing manufacturing 40–50 percent of the production content, there has been support in the U.S. Congress, media and think tanks in favor of co-production.The U.S. House of Representatives included report language in its FY-2013 Defense Authorization Act supporting Iron Dome with $680 million but also instructing that the Director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, Lt. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly, "should explore any opportunity to enter into co-production of the Iron Dome system with Israel, in light of the significant U.S. investment in this system." There are media reports that the Pentagon is requesting similar language in the Senate Defense Authorization Act as well as the respective House and Senate defense appropriations bills for 2013.Adding Iron Dome to the list of high-tech military programs built jointly by both nations would help further strengthen ties between Israel and the United States.
In July 2014 it was announced that Raytheon will be the major U.S. partner in co-production of major components for the Iron Dome’s Tamir intercepting missile.The U.S. firm will supply components through various subcontractors.
Specifications
Type
Air defense missile syetm against short range artillery rockets.
Country users
Israel
Designer Country
Israel
Radar
Detection & Tracking Radar EL/M-2084
Firing unit
20 container-launches each with one Tamir missile
Weight missile
90 kg
Length missile
3 m