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The Cost Problem of Iron Dome and a Possible Solution

(Israel Hayom) Eli Meron and Eli Bar-On - Hundreds of rockets and mortars were fired from Gaza at cities and communities in Israel on Saturday and Sunday. Hundreds of Iron Dome interceptor missiles were launched to down them, and in many cases saved lives. The cost of a single Iron Dome interception is about $80,000. If we need to use the David's Sling or Arrow systems, the average cost of an interception will jump to about $2 million. Northrop Grumman's SkyGuard laser cannon system, which was developed at Israel's request and with U.S. research and funding 12 years ago, was designed to facilitate affordable and logistically efficient answers to massive onslaughts of rockets and mortars. It could be made operational in two to three years. Using this system in conjunction with Iron Dome could eradicate all low-level threats. The situation on the northern front, against Hizbullah, is much worse. Defense and security officials think that in the next war in Lebanon, some 2,000 rockets and missiles will be fired at Israel daily, some with precision capabilities. Eli Bar-On is an economist who specializes in the analysis of defense systems and performance research. Eli Meron is a physicist and chemist and a former senior official in the Israeli defense establishment.
2019-05-08 00:00:00
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