US Army to buy two Israeli Iron Dome air defence systems
The US Army said on 6 February 2019 that it wants to purchase a pair of Iron Dome short-range air defence systems, an interceptor technology developed by Israel with US support.
US Army spokesperson Colonel Patrick Seiber said the deal would meet a short-term need to protect troops from ‘indirect fire’ such as rockets and mortars. No decisions have been made yet about where the two systems may be deployed.
‘The Iron Dome will be assessed and experimented as a system that is currently available to protect deployed US military service members against a wide variety of indirect fire threats and aerial threats,’ Seiber said in a statement.
Iron Dome systems have been in operation by the Israeli air force since 2011 and have seen frequent use in thwarting rocket attacks from Gaza and elsewhere. Seiber said the US Army will ‘assess a variety of options’ for a system that could be used in the long term.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also serves as defence minister, called the deal further proof of Israel’s alliance with the US. ‘Israel has an Iron Dome and an iron fist. Our systems know how to deal with any threat, both in defence and in attack. I would not recommend our enemies to try us,’ he said in a defence ministry statement.
Seiber said the US Army proposes spending $1.6 billion through 2024 to field an ‘enduring capability’ that may include portions of the Iron Dome system.
The Iron Dome system was developed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems with the help of US funding. It is designed to intercept rockets and artillery shells fired from a range of four to 70km (three to 45 miles). Each battery comprises detection and tracking radar, state-of-the-art fire control software and three launchers, each with 20 interceptor missiles.
You may also like
More from Defence Notes
-
![“Capital follows confidence” as defence courts private money]()
“Capital follows confidence” as defence courts private money
Outside investment and the direction in which venture money flows may reveal what defence will buy years before formal programmes begin.
-
![Canada’s new military drone marketplace targets rapid acquisition pipeline]()
Canada’s new military drone marketplace targets rapid acquisition pipeline
The Department of National Defence expects initial contracts to deliver thousands of uncrewed systems, but has yet to establish the quantities, capability mix or deadline behind Ottawa’s promised tenfold expansion.
-
![Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons]()
Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons
The company told Shephard that Ukraine is operating modified Protector weapon stations originally supplied for armoured vehicles, with human operators authorising engagements from hundreds of kilometres away.
-
![UK urged to prioritise sea, air and space over heavy armour]()
UK urged to prioritise sea, air and space over heavy armour
A report from the Council on Geostrategy argues the UK should move away from a traditional balanced force and shift investment to naval, air and space capabilities, backed by a larger fleet of attack submarines and deeper AUKUS integration.
-
![Thales: deployment speed to determine winners in ‘production versus production’ era]()
Thales: deployment speed to determine winners in ‘production versus production’ era
At its technology summit in London, attended by Shephard, Thales UK examined the importance of speed to delivery, the growing focus on cross-domain capabilities and how procurement reform could be crucial for future battlefield advantage.
-
![Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain]()
Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain
Are all systems ready for the next mission? Have upgrades been applied? Are all assets aligned to deploy together, on time and fully prepared? In modern defence operations, readiness is no longer measured platform by platform. It is measured by how well people, assets, data and decisions move together — across land, sea and air.
