Software Upgrades Enabled the Iron Dome’s High Rate of Interception

Iron Dome (Photo IDF)

11/3/2012 Arie Egozi - IsraelDefense

The system’s high rate of interception will aid in marketing it to foreign clients that will soon be examining the system for procurement

Software improvements and the maturity of operational doctrine enabled the Iron Dome to intercept 27 out of 30 rockets (90% success rate) that threatened Israel’s population centers.

Over the weekend, defense establishment sources stated, "the software improvements are an ongoing process and when met with the operational doctrine, results are immediately achieved."

The system’s high rate of interception may increase interest from abroad. Representatives of several foreign militaries have already inspected the system in the past few months, and several more visits are expected in the near future.

Rocket and mortar fire is of great concern for US troops stationed in Afghanistan. In order to deal with such a threat, US forces are presently operating Phalanx rapid-fire cannons – a conversion of a system originally intended for combat vessels. This system’s efficiency is limited, and due to its features, its fire might result in harm inflicted to the force utilizing it.

One of the accomplishments of the Iron Dome system is its radar produced by Elta, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries. The radar system can distinguish between rockets that will threaten an inhabited area and rockets that will fall in an open area, making every interceptor launched count. In addition, because of this radar, it is impossible for the enemy to “exhaust” the interceptor with rocket barrages.

While some people still object to the Iron Dome (mainly those who supported the laser-based Nautilus interception system), one source said, “Had we gone for such a solution, we would still be without a working system. It’ll take the laser several good years until it’s able to reach even a small percentage of the interceptions carried out by the Iron Dome system.”