Iron Dome in action
Photo: AFP
'Iron Dome will eventually pay for itself'
Military hopes success of new anti-missile system in south will propel future sales, export to other countries, balance operational costs
The Iron Dome system has proven its worth over the weekend, intercepting rockets fired at southern Israel by Gaza terror groups, but some have already voiced concerns that over time – and if it is forced into very frequent use due to Hamas fire, its costly operation may eventually lead to a financial attrition of the defense budget.
While the actual operational costs of Iron Dome remain classified, numbers released suggest each interception costs about $40,000. According to that math, the weekend's eight successful interception cost the IDF some $320,000, or NIS 1.1 million.
Success
Watch exclusive video: IDF's first-of-its kind anti-rocket system intercepts missile fired at Ashkelon. Assault on southern Israel continues Saturday, local communities under heavy fire as dozens of rockets, mortar shells hit area. Alert level in south raised to 3 out of 4, just short of wartime deployment
Security sources have voiced some concerns that should Hamas pursue massive rocker fire, Iron Dome's operational costs will skyrocket, severely straining the defense budget.
But not all is grim: Iron Dome's success is likely to prevent extensive infrastructure damage, on top of its lifesaving activity, and the defense establishment hopes to propel this success into sales opportunities.
The system's effectiveness is likely to lead to purchases by other countries facing the threat of rocket fire, which will, in turn, balance operational costs and may even cheapen them.
According to several foreign media reports, the defense establishment already has its first Iron Dome export contact, with Singapore.
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