Iron Dome gets upgrade

An upgraded version of the Iron Dome missile defense system has passed a series of complex tests in recent days, improving the system’s capabilities.

According to a statement released by the Defense Ministry, the Israel Missile Defense Organization, which is responsible for the development of Israel’s multilayered defense system, in conjunction with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the main contractor of the Iron Dome system, carried out a number of experiments using American-made components in the course of the missile interception tests for the first time.

The experiments, which were conducted in the South, focused on the use of the Tamir interceptor and its ability to intercept a number of targets that were fired simultaneously at different ranges.

The Tamir interceptor is made of parts produced by both the United States and Israel, as part of an agreement signed in 2014 between the two counties. In the agreement, the manufacturing of the Iron Dome was moved to Raytheon’s plant in the United States, who helped to fund the interceptors production.

Last April a Tamir interceptor missile successfully intercepted a UAV after being launched from one of the US Army’s missile launches in a trial in the United States.

Raytheon, the American company producing the parts, the Defense Ministry and the US Missile Defense Agency all took part in producing the improved Iron Dome.

Moshe Patel, the director of Israel Missile Defense Organization, said that the tests of the Iron Dome as well as the recent series of tests carried out in January for the David’s Sling (Magic Wand) missile defense system “together bolster the defensive capabilities of the State of Israel against short-range and medium-range missiles.”

The series of intercept tests of the David’s Sling weapons system – which was also a joint trial by Israel’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure and the US Missile Defense Agency – examined the capabilities and performance of the system, which is designed to intercept short- to medium-range rockets as well as ballistic missiles, including guided projectiles, cruise missiles, aircraft and drones.