How does the Israeli air defense system "Iron Dome" work?

Amid the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the tactical highlight is the launch of over 1,000 rockets by the Hamas militia and the interception of 90% of them, according to figures from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) cited by The Economist and Associated Press. This showcases advanced military technology, the characteristics of which we explain below.

The Israeli air defense system known as “Iron Dome” (Iron Dome) has been in service with the Israel Defense Forces since 2011 as a mechanism for intercepting short-range rockets and missiles, operating at distances between four and 70 kilometers. It was developed by Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) starting in 2007 and has been continuously refined.

The system operates with a rocket and missile detection unit, which includes a command and control unit, as well as a battery housing the interceptor fire units, working together constantly. The detection unit consists of high-resolution ELTA radars of the EL/M-2084 type, which operate day and night, in all weather conditions, and can respond to multiple threats simultaneously. The missile battery consists of firing units with 20 rockets, launched from truck-mounted containers. The missile fired is of the “Tamir” type, equipped with electro-optical sensors. It measures 3 meters in length, weighs 90 kilograms, and has a diameter of 160mm.

The system is activated when a rocket or missile enters the protected area, being identified by the detection and tracking unit thanks to the aforementioned radar, particularly when it approaches populated Israeli areas or strategic centers. The fire control computer then analyzes the threat and, based on the risk, selects and fires one or more of its interceptor missiles.

In general, the system is highly mobile and can be deployed with great flexibility in different locations based on the threat. The IDF attributes a high level of effectiveness to it. According to a report by Reuters, the air defense system has been promoted for South Korea and India. It is also mentioned that the United States has acquired two batteries.

Given its proven effectiveness, Hamas has attempted to saturate the “Iron Dome” with massive rocket launches from Gaza. However, in practice, the level of saturation of the system remains unknown.

John Griffiths
JHead of Security and Defense Studies at AthenaLab