The Iron Dome system, created by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Limited, intercepts targets in the skies above the Gaza Strip. An interceptor rocket with a high-powered gun is fired from a launcher above the intended target and guided by radar, with a high-precision guided rocket motor inside.
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The Iron Dome system is Israel’s long-range anti-missile system which intercepts rockets in flight and downgrades them to a lighter weight to allow for a more controlled landing.
It is an all-weather system and can engage multiple targets simultaneously and be deployed over land and sea. Iron Dome is manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems and has been in service with Israeli Air Force since 2011. The radar system was developed by Elta.
Its development was prompted after a series of rocket attacks on Israel by Hezbollah and Hamas in the 2000s.
An Iron Dome battery consists of a battle management control unit, a detection and tracking radar and a firing unit of three vertical launchers, with 20 interceptor missiles each.
The interceptor missile uses a proximity fuse to detonate the target warhead in the air.
The Iron Dome is deployed in a layered defence along with David’s Sling and Arrow missile defence system which are designed for medium- and long-range threats.
The I-DOME is the mobile variant with all components on a single truck and C-DOME is the naval version for deployment on ships.
