The Iron Dome product is regarded as probably the most effective short-range missile defense systems.
It was just like a scene from a sci-fi movie occur space. Open skies. Evening. City lights were shining with full splendour. It was a regular night, like countless before. Until missiles started crisscrossing the night time sky within the city. Regardless of the danger, certain brave people decided to watch from their balconies this rocket “show”, similar to fireworks or some intergalactic conflict. Exactly why they did this is called Iron Dome air immune system.
The development of that system began in 2005. In February 2007, the Iron Dome was chosen as Israel’s official short-range missile weapon. Since then, the Rafael Company, that's developing the system, and the Israeli Defense Forces have been cooperating onto it. Based on official data, a total of $210 million have been spent to date.
The Iron Dome operates on the following principle – once the enemy army, specifically artillery, launches short-range missiles towards the target, a radar which detects and tracks missiles is activated in the foot from the Iron Dome. This technique assesses and predicts the direction where the projectile will move. Activation from the attack is triggered only if approximately the rocket will fall around the populated area. If the intended destination is definitely an empty space, the system doesn't respond. If the target is really a populated area, rockets, so-called interceptors, are fired from the launch pad, to be able to disable the enemy’s attack, and the target is destroyed in mid-air. Multiple targets can be demolished simultaneously, and also the product is operational both night and day. As many as 150 square kilometres are covered and guarded by the Iron Dome. However, Israeli officials claim that the Iron Dome is 90 % effective in shooting down medium-range missiles before they fall on populated areas. Israel includes a total of 10 such defense systems, even though it has two more systems in its defense strategy, which albeit are not intended to stop short-range missiles.
The proven fact that just one interceptor projectile costs upwards of $150,000 speaks volumes concerning the overall monetary value of the defense system. Its development and maintenance were helped by the Usa with vast sums of dollars, while the cost of one Dome can go up to $70 million.
The Iron Dome system is regarded as one of the most effective short-range missile defense systems. Based on the data provided by the maker, it takes only one second from the firing of the enemy missile for the system to react and launch an interceptor projectile. The Israeli military said the system hit 84 percent from the projectiles fired during eight times of clashes within the Gaza Strip in November 2012.
This system changed the lives of numerous Israelis in the past 11 years, once the first Dome was installed close to the city of Bersheva which marked the operation of one of the best defense systems on the planet.
