By Sam Meredith
The Iron Dome missile defense system, or “Kippat Barzel” in Hebrew, is widely regarded as one of the most important tools in Israel’s defensive arsenal.
Designed to protect Israeli citizens from aerial attacks by launching guided missiles to intercept incoming rockets and other short-range threats, the mobile all-weather defense system has been fully operational since March 2011.
Israel’s Defense Ministry says the system has been upgraded several times and “successfully prevented countless rockets from hitting Israeli communities.”
The Iron Dome was developed in Israel by state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems with U.S. backing — and Washington continues to provide funding for it.
Israel’s Defense Forces say the Iron Dome is a compilation of several features: the technology itself, the machinery used to intercept incoming rockets, the soldiers who operate the system and the commanders who supervise the network.
How does it work?
In practice, the Iron Dome uses radar to track incoming rockets and determines whether the missile’s trajectory threatens a protected area, such as a strategically important site or population center.
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This article originally appeared here and was republished with permission.
