Iron Dome test
Photo courtesy of Defense Ministry
Defense official: 2 Far East countries want to buy Iron Dome
Rafael's missile interception system successfully tested against short-range rockets, mortar shells
The Iron Dome anti-rocket system
has not become operational in Israel
yet, but two countries in the Far East have already expressed an interest in purchasing it, according to defense establishment officials.
Representatives of the two countries' militaries are expected to visit Israel soon to observe a simulation of the system. According to a source in the defense establishment, the system has a potential market of hundreds of millions of dollars. Each Iron Dome system is expected to cost about $15 million. Each missile will cost about $40,000.
The system, manufactured by Rafael Advanced Systems Ltd., proved its ability to intercept different kinds of rockets and mortar shells last week.
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A delegation of experts from the United States is also expected to arrive in Israel soon to examine the new system. "The Americans understand that this is the only solution at the moment against rockets and mortar shells threatening their forces in Afghanistan and Iraq," a defense establishment source told Yedioth Ahronoth's economic supplement Mamon.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak presented a general outline of the system recently during a meeting with Pentagon officials. The Americans expressed great interest "on the principle level".
Advanced radar system
According to defense officials, last week's successful test increased the interest in the project, as the development of the system is close to being completed."At first, the Americans had a lot of doubts about the timetable presented to them, but the latest test proved to them that we controlled an advanced technology that even they don't have," said one of the sources.
Rockets and mortar shells are weapons which claim the highest number of victims among American forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. Defense officials say the successful Iron Dome test may lead the US to take part in the funding of the system's final stage, as they are doing with the Magic Wand system being developed by Rafael and American weapons company Raytheon.
With Magic Wand, the Americans identified their need several years ago and are participating in the project's finding. As for Iron Dome, defense officials say, the understanding came later on. "Now they understand that there is a technological achievement here which provides an answer to a huge problem they are facing."
One of the accomplishments of the Iron Dome system is its radar system produced by Elta, a subsidiary of the Israel Aerospace Industries. This radar system can distinguish between rockets threatening a populated area and rockets slated to land in an open area. This way, intercepting missiles are not launched unnecessarily, and the enemy is prevented from launching rockets with the purpose of thinning out the anti-rocket system's interceptors.
