Tel Aviv: SecDef checks out the Iron Dome Defense System— U.S. Army purchased two

Esper Sees Iron Dome Missile Defense System in Tel Aviv

OCT. 30, 2020 | BY JIM GARAMONE, DOD NEWS

Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper got a chance to see the Israeli Iron Dome antimissile battery that the U.S. Army is buying during a stop in Tel Aviv yesterday.

Iron Dome is a combat-proven piece of equipment that the Defense Department has invested in for years. The Israelis have used the system constantly to stop the rain of missiles that struck vulnerable cities in the south and north of the country. The Iron Dome prevented more than 2,500 missiles from striking occupied areas of the country.

Israeli officials are very proud of the missile defense network they have developed that includes David’s Sling and the Arrow system. They are very proud to share the Iron Dome with the United States military.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu met Esper near the airport and called the sale of the Iron Dome to the U.S. Army “a testament to our alliance. The Iron Dome was developed by Israel with U.S. assistance,” Netanyahu said in answer to a question. “Now we share so many things; the U.S. helps us in so many ways. It’s a privilege for us to have reciprocity in this relationship. [Iron Dome has] protected us. We will be happy if it protects America, too.”

Earlier, Defense Minister Benny Gantz met Esper at the airport and he escorted the secretary to the missile system static display. The system components were already mounted on U.S. Army standard Oshkosh trucks, and painted in Army colors. The battery was finished on time and within budget, Israeli Missile Defense Organization Chief Moshe Patel told Esper.

The Iron Dome is designed to shoot down short-range missiles — those with a range of about 40 miles or less. The Israelis developed the system in response to threats emanating from Gaza and Southern Lebanon. Israeli scientists worked on the solution to the problem set and often consulted with U.S. researchers. They developed and fielded the system quickly. The United States military invested in the project as well.

The system the U.S. Army has bought has been continually improved since its debut, Patel said. Israeli scientists worked the algorithms to increase the accuracy and range of the missiles. They also adapted it so it is compliant with U.S. command and control systems, and by extension, NATO command and control.

Iron Dome can be reloaded quickly and firing batteries can be ganged together. There is an artificial intelligence function that analyzes incoming rounds and determines if people or facilities are in danger. If not, the AI would not recommend a shot. A person is always in the kill loop, however, according to an Israeli Defense Forces officer whose identity is protected.

The battle management system is extremely adaptable and Patel said it could take inputs from many different radars and could be used to tie together different U.S. missile defense systems like the Patriot and THAAD.

The U.S. Army has one battery of Iron Dome missiles. The second will soon be shipped to America. The batteries will undergo tests at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama and White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

From Rafael:

Tel Aviv, Aug. 3, 2020 —  Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a Raytheon Technologies (RTX: NYSE) business, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., an Israeli-based defense technology company, have signed a joint venture to establish an Iron Dome Weapon System production facility in the United States. The new partnership, called Raytheon RAFAEL Area Protection Systems, anticipates finalizing a site location before the end of the year.

“This will be the first Iron Dome all-up-round facility outside of Israel, and it will help the U.S. Department of Defense and allies across the globe obtain the system for defense of their service members and critical infrastructure,” said Raytheon Missiles & Defense Systems’ Sam Deneke, vice president of Land Warfare & Air Defense business execution.

The new facility will produce both the Iron Dome Weapon System, which consists of the Tamir interceptor and launcher, and the SkyHunter® missile, a U.S. derivative of Tamir. Both Tamir and SkyHunter intercept incoming cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems and short-range targets such as rockets, artillery, mortars and other aerial threats.

“We are excited about this new stage in our partnership with Raytheon and proud of our U.S. production,” said Brig. Gen. (res.) Pini Yungman, executive vice president for Air and Missile Defense of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. “We have long partnered on U.S. production of Iron Dome and are pleased to increase manufacturing and bring SkyHunter to the U.S.”

Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Rafael have teamed for over a decade on Iron Dome, the world’s most-used system with more than 2,500 operational intercepts and a success rate exceeding 90 percent. To learn more about these critical missile defense programs, visit us here.

About RAFAEL

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. designs, develops, manufactures and supplies a wide range of high-tech defense systems for air, land, sea, and space applications for the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli defense establishment, as well as for customers around the world. The company offers its customers a diversified array of innovative solutions at the leading edge of global technology, from underwater systems through naval, ground, and air superiority systems to space systems. RAFAEL is one of Israel’s three largest defense companies, employing 8000 people and numerous subcontractors and service suppliers, including in the United States.