To divide
Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system fires interceptor missiles at rockets coming from the Gaza Strip. (File image) © Tsafrir Abayov/AP/dpa
Israel is using Iron Dome to combat rocket attacks. Today we can see how effective the system is against Hamas. Germany is also interested in Israeli weapons.
Berlin/Tel Aviv – According to eyewitnesses, sirens began to sound in the late morning of October 7, after which numerous people had already been pulled away from their morning activities by detonations and pressure waves. As Hamas launched an attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip with massive rocket fire, Israel’s “Iron Dome” missile defense system showed what an autonomous weapons system can achieve – thousands of rockets were intercepted.
Although the defense system does not have a 100% success rate, it is still considered an important instrument for protecting the population in Israel. Over decades of threats, missile system developers have become more specialized and export their weapons abroad. Germany also signed a purchase intention this year: for the Arrow 3 – a system intended for defense against larger missiles.
Heavy attack on Israel: this is how Iron Dome works effectively during rocket attacks
Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli cities have always been normal in the region. However, since the military has relied on Iron Dome to defend against missiles, part of the defense has been independent of human actors. Iron Dome is a mobile land-based system for defense against rockets, artillery and mortars. It was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. and Israel Aerospace Industries and has been working to protect the Israeli population since 2011.
As Hamas attempts to strike targets in Israel from the Gaza Strip with several dozen rocket attacks per hour, numerous missiles are automatically shut down by the Iron Dome defense system. How effectively this happens is documented repeatedly on X (formerly Twitter). Sometimes Israel’s night sky lights up like fireworks when Hamas rockets attack.
Defense against rocket attacks: Israel depends on Iron Dome in war
The Iron Dome missile defense system controls missiles autonomously: although a human chain of command provides multiple sources of error in an emergency, the system uses computer support to detect its targets and eliminate them. For air defense to function smoothly, each Iron Dome unit consists of three components: a radar system, a control center and several starting batteries for the interceptor missiles. An advantage is that the Iron Dome defense system is mobile and can therefore react to sudden threat situations and change its location.
In a fraction of a second, possible missiles are identified and the computer assesses whether the missile poses a danger. When Israel is under rocket attack, it sometimes happens that several missiles have to be repelled at the same time. This should be possible for Iron Dome: According to unconfirmed reports, the air defense should be able to combat up to six targets in parallel. How much it costs to use Iron Dome also cannot be said with certainty. However, an injection is expected to cost between $50,000 and $100,000.
Rocket attack on Israel: will Germany buy an Iron Dome?
For Israel, Iron Dome has been one of the most important means of defense against enemy rockets due to Hamas attacks since 2011. The system has proven itself repeatedly in the past in countering smaller missiles and was also demonstrated in Hamas’ most recent attack on Israel, on October 7, 2023, which can detect and destroy a variety of projectiles. However, it is doubtful whether an Iron Dome would make sense for Germany in the current situation of threat caused by the effects of the war in Ukraine.
The Iron Dome defense system is only suitable for defending against small projectiles, such as rockets or grenades, which generally only have a short effective range. The Arrow-3 system, which also comes from Israel and is on Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’ (SPD) shopping list, is more likely to meet federal governments’ requirements. In connection with the European Sky Shield, Berlin is pushing for a European air defense upgrade. Currently, Germany’s missile defense is based on the old medium-range Patriot missile systems and the modern Iris-T system. Arrow 3 is intended to complement missile defense in the future. (fbu)