(BESA Center for Strategic Studies-Bar-Ilan University) Uzi Rubin - The "Iron Dome" anti-rocket active defense system was first used by Israel in April 2011 with great technical success. According to the Ministry of Defense Directorate for Research and Development, the new system destroyed nine of the ten rockets that it engaged. During a period of escalation in August, according to the media, Iron Dome destroyed between 18 and 20 rockets, though some penetrated the defense screen. Israel's ambassador to the U.S. cited an 85% success rate. While the jury is still out on the full implications of active defense for the Israeli-Palestinian battlefield, it can reasonably be concluded that the Iron Dome system has succeeded in saving lives and reducing damages, thus providing more flexibility to the political leadership for containing the fighting with the Hamas government in Gaza. The writer was head of the Israel Ministry of Defense "Arrow" defense program against long-range missiles.
2011-10-25 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive