Beyond the Iron Dome: The many layers of Israel’s air defence system

Israel’s aerial defence strategy is multi-layered, to support against missiles fired from abbreviated distances (like by Hamas) to longer ranges (missiles that alert extracurricular the Earth’s atmosphere, apt to beryllium fired by nations further distant from Israel, specified arsenic Iran).

The Iron Dome is the best-known, but this time, according to the BBC, different elements of the country’s defence systems “probably did the bulk of the work.”

Apart from the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow 2 and 3, and the Iron Beam support Israel from missiles. We explicate what they are.

Iron Dome

The Iron Dome is simply a short-range, ground-to-air, aerial defence strategy that includes a radar and interceptor missiles, which way and neutralise rockets oregon missiles aimed astatine Israeli targets. It is utilized for countering rockets, artillery & mortars (C-RAM) arsenic good arsenic aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The genesis of the Iron Dome goes backmost to the 2006 Israeli-Lebanon war, erstwhile Hezbollah fired thousands of rockets into Israel. The pursuing year, Israel announced that its state-run Rafael Advance Systems would travel up with a caller aerial defence strategy to support its cities and people. It was developed with Israel Aerospace Industries. The Iron Dome was deployed successful 2011. For much details connected the Iron Dome, read this explainer we published successful 2021.

David’s Sling

David’s Sling is the adjacent level successful Israel’s aerial defence system, and tin intercept missiles with a longer scope than the Iron Dome. It was developed by Rafael on with the US-based RTX Corp (RTX.N), formerly known arsenic Raytheon, and declared operational successful 2017.

According to Reuters, “the mid-range David’s Sling strategy is designed to sprout down ballistic missiles fired from 100 km to 200 km (62 to 124 miles) away.”

“David’s Sling’s maneuverable, two-stage, hit-to-kill Stunner rocket has nary warhead; the interceptor destroys threats with sheer unit of impact. The Stunner rocket is proven to decision each short-range ballistic missiles – 92 percent of the worldwide theatre ballistic rocket menace inventory… A variant of the Stunner hit-to-kill missile, the highly precocious SkyCeptor interceptor is developed to decision short- to medium-range ballistic and cruise missiles and different precocious aerial defence threats,” the website of RTX Corp says.

Arrow 2 and Arrow 3

The Arrow household is the long-range tier of Israel’s aerial defence system, and tin intercept missiles that alert extracurricular the Earth’s atmosphere. It has been developed by the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

According to the IAI’s website, “the Arrow modular aerial defence systems detect, track, intercept and destruct incoming TBMs [Tactical Ballistic Missiles] carrying a scope of warheads and implicit a ample footprint, thereby protecting strategical assets and colonisation centers. The innovative Arrow 3 interceptor is designed to intercept and destruct the newest, longer-range threats, particularly those carrying weapons of wide destruction.”

Iron Beam

The Iron Beam, similar the Iron Dome, is designed for short-range rockets, of up to 10 km. It uses laser beams to destruct a target, and is cheaper than the accepted rocket interceptors. It has been developed by Rafael.

“Engaging astatine the velocity of light, Iron Beam has an unlimited magazine, with astir zero outgo per interception, and causes minimal collateral damage,” Rafael’s website says.