Iron Dome: Understanding Israel’s Air Defence System Against Rocket Attack

Israel’s air defence system, known as Iron Dome, is a land-based system that intercepts and destroys short-range rockets and mortars.

Since its introduction in April 2011, it has become a mainstay of the country’s defence sector.

The Iron Dome is a short-range missile and artillery defence system, with an operating window between four and 70 kilometres. It was specifically designed to protect populated Israeli areas from missile attacks from nearby countries.

LEADERSHIP reports that Palestinian militant group, Hamas, with Iran’s backing, launched a massive surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, October 7, 2023 from Gaza, with land invasions, amphibious assaults and air drops with motorised gliders. During this attack and the ensuing Israeli counter-attack, about 900 Israelis and Palastinians have been killed so far.

This attack on Israel was led by massive salvos of over 5,000 rockets and artillery in a 20-minute period.

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Meanwhile, the Iron Dome consists of three main components, a radar system, a control system and a launcher system. Radars are used to detect incoming ordinance and missiles, the control system then calculates the trajectory of incoming weapons and decides whether it should be intercepted or not.

The launcher system is a mobile missile launcher that can launch up to 20 Tamir Interceptor missiles developed by Rafael Advanced Defense. These missiles used advanced electro-optic sensors and multiple steering fins grant it impressive manoeuvrability and tracking. Once it is in range the missiles use a proximity fuse to detonate or redirect incoming munitions.

This system has been lauded around the world for its effectiveness, during the 2014 Gaza War, it is credited with intercepting over 90% of rockets fired at Israel from Gaza, says the Times of Israel.

But with the latest and unprovoked assault on Israel on Saturday, commentators around the world have been asking baffling questions – why did Israel fail to see the attack coming and what happened to its Iron Dome air-defence system?