10 IRON DOME

Things you might not know about

IRAN’S attack on

Israel last week was an almost complete failure thanks to Israel’s advanced air defence system.

A huge part of that system is the so- called Iron Dome.

But what is it?

1

IRON Dome is an

Israeli mobile all- weather air defence system, developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries.

2

IT is designed to protect against incoming short- range weapons such as rockets, shells and drones, by firing super- accurate missiles at them.

3

IT uses radar to track rockets and can differentiate between those that are likely to hit built- up areas and those that are not. Interceptor missiles are only fired at rockets expected to strike populated areas.

4

THE system consists of batteries located across Israel, each with three to four launchers that can fire 20 interceptor missiles. There are both fixed and mobile versions of the system.

5

IRON Dome was developed after the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, a militant group based in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah launched thousands of rockets into Israel, causing huge damage and killing dozens of citizens.

6

IT was specially designed to help combat rudimentary weapons like the rockets fired from

Gaza.

7

THE system was first used in combat in 2011. It knocked out a missile fired from the

Gaza Strip, which has been under the control of the Hamas terror group since 2007.

8

ISRAEL’S military has claimed a success rate of up to 90% for Iron Dome.

9

THE Far East city state of Singapore is reported to have purchased the Iron Dome, and the US Army has bought two batteries to protect overseas bases. 10

DURING times of war, the cost to operate Iron Dome can rise quickly. Each missile costs around £ 30k, so intercepting thousands of incoming rockets adds up.