Understanding the functionalities of Israel's air defense system.
In October's early days, Iran unleashes nearly 200 rockets towards Israel. Since October 7, 2023, marked by Hamas's attack, Israel has endured countless rocket attacks. Despite this, Israel's defense system remains robust, but the Iron Dome exhibits a concerning vulnerability.
Alerting sirens pierce through the air in early October as Israelis dash to shelters or find cover in any conceivable spot: stairwells, under bridges, on street corners, as a storm of rockets from Iran rains down on Israel. Approximately 180 ballistic missiles target Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and other cities, the impacts loud and clear.
As reported by The Washington Post, at least twenty-four of these rockets breach Israel's air defenses, striking or approaching military and intelligence facilities. Confirming damage to air force bases from rocket attacks, the Israeli military qualifies it as minimal. Primarily, offices and maintenance areas are hit. The impacts are reported in central and southern Israel. A Palestinian is killed by falling debris in the West Bank, while two light injuries occur in the Tel Aviv area.
Notwithstanding, the majority of Iran's rockets are neutralized. This trend holds true for other projectiles since the Hamas attack on Israel. Over 21,500 rockets have been fired at Israel since October 2022.
Israel counters these heavy assaults with a comprehensive, multi-layered defense. Military analyst Fabian Hinz, speaking with ntv, explains that the system's purpose is to "shoot down rockets of various ranges." The larger the rocket's range, the faster its final velocity, making it more challenging to intercept. Each threat is detected, the impact location calculated, and then it is either shot down or allowed to hit (if it does not pose a threat to populated areas).
Iron Dome thrives against short-range rockets
The Iron Dome, Israel's most renowned defense system, functions as a protective shield. It boasts an interception success rate surpassing 90%, according to the "Military Balance 2024" report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. During the first Iranian attack on Israel with drones and rockets in April, a staggering 99% were intercepted, as per Israeli reports. Successfully deployed since 2011, the Iron Dome defends Israel from smaller projectiles with short ranges: rockets, mortars, precision-guided munitions, and even drones, up to 70 kilometers in range.
Each Iron Dome unit consists of a radar system, a computer, and a launcher. In theory, an Iron Dome unit can house up to 20 launchers. The radar detects enemy rocket launches, assesses their velocity and trajectory. The computer then calculates the rocket's trajectory. If destined for populated or strategic locations, the launcher fires the interceptor missile. This follows the enemy rocket and detonates near it. The Tamir interceptor missile's range is approximately 17 kilometers.
An Iron Dome battery can monitor up to six incoming threats simultaneously. It can defend an area of 150 square kilometers against rocket and artillery attacks. "In 90 percent of cases, this system is successful," acknowledges Arye Shalicar, Israeli army spokesperson, to ntv.
Mobility ensures system adaptability
The systems' mobility enables swift relocation to different parts of the country. They operate 24/7 and in all weather conditions.
US supports Iron Dome production
At least ten Iron Dome units exist, according to US defense contractor RTX Corporation, which started manufacturing Iron Dome components in the US since 2014. Estimates suggest more units may exist.
The financial aspect behind only shooting down enemy projectiles posing a danger to vital areas becomes apparent: Interceptor missiles are expensive. Each shot costs between $40,000 and $50,000, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The entire system cost around $100 million.
Iron Dome is produced by Israeli defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and aerospace company Israel Aerospace Industries. America has invested over $3 billion in construction, development, and maintenance since 2011. "The Iron Dome system offers us the opportunity to carry out attacks on hundreds of targets," says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It serves as Israel's de facto insurance policy.
David's Sling defends against aircraft
The middle layer of Israel's defense system lies in David's Sling. Also known as the "Sling of David" or "Magic Wand," it targets larger projectiles and covers a broad area. It can intercept larger ballistic medium-range missiles, cruise missiles, aircraft, and drones, with a range of 40 to 300 kilometers. As reported by US sources, Iran, Syria, and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia possess such weapons.
David's Sling secures not just a specific region, but the entire country: Two batteries are sufficient to safeguard the entire territory of Israel.
The system has been operative since 2017. It was developed in collaboration with the US, primarily as a countermeasure against the Hezbollah threat. It has cost around $2.4 billion, close to the Iron Dome's cost. Finland acquired the system from Israel in 2021.
Arrow shields against long-range missiles
For missiles with longer ranges, Israel has the Arrow system - Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 interceptors. Developed jointly with the US in the late 1980s, Israel created the system as a countermeasure against extended-range threats.
"Arrow 2 navigates through the air to obliterate airborne missiles, while Arrow 3 takes it up a notch, annihilating them in outer space, providing an extended reach," elucidates military analyst Hinz. The "Arrow" carries the capacity to obliterate missiles at an altitude of 100 kilometers and has an expansive range that stretches up to 2,400 kilometers. In comparison, Iran's latest hypersonic missile, "Fattah," boasts a range of only 1,400 kilometers.
The Arrow missile defense apparatus involves radar machinery, a control hub, and a mobile launch device. The radar machinery detects and monitors incoming missiles. The control hub deciphers their trajectory and transmits controls to modify the trajectory of the counterattack missile. Each mobile launch device is stocked with four Arrow-3 guided missiles. The upgraded Arrow-3 guided armaments annihilate the adversary missile through the hit-to-kill strategy - a direct hit. A solitary Arrow missile sets you back a hefty $3.5 million.
Future protection will count on the system in Germany as well, and they've procured Arrow 3 from Israel. The missile defense fortress is projected to commence functioning at the Holzdorf air base in Brandenburg by the year's end.
"Defense Systems Can't Outlast an Onslaught"
Israel seems impervious to assaults with Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Arrow. However, these shields don't ensure absolute immunity, as exemplified by the recent Iranian strike. The lifespan of Israel's defenses remains uncertain to specialists. One truth remains undisputed: sooner or later, every defense system will succumb.
"Defense systems can't withstand an overwhelming attack. Experts then label it as saturated," explains military expert Thomas Wiegold on ntv. "An Iron Dome and an Arrow system can pinpoint and neutralize a specific number of rockets. If the volume exceeds, rockets will evade. This scenario hasn't materialized yet."
However, the Iron Dome harbors a potent vulnerability. Its Achilles' heel is the contemporary hypersonic rockets from Iran that soar at low altitudes and are steerable. They move at such a pace that they're tricky to spot by radar systems, resulting in an erratic flight path. Even advanced missile defense systems struggle to intercept them.
Iran deployed these novel rockets for the first time in an attack on Israel in early October. It's alleged that some of them breached Israel's robust air defense, as per state radio.
The Commission has expressed concern over Iran's use of steerable hypersonic rockets in their October attack, which poses a significant challenge to Israel's Iron Dome defense system. Despite the system's interception success rate of over 90%, these low-altitude, fast-moving rockets can be difficult for radar systems to detect, making them harder to intercept.
Following the October attack, The Commission has requested urgently for an upgrade in Israel's missile defense systems, highlighting the need to address the vulnerability of the Iron Dome against such rockets.
