Missile Defense

The Iron Dome short-range rocket and missile defense system intercepted 90 percent of missile attacks on Israeli urban centers during the latest bombardment from Gaza. The system intercepted 27 rockets fired from Gaza over the weekend, raising the interception rate from 75 percent last year to over 90 percent.

Recent test successes for Israel's Iron Dome defense system may have helped eliminate concerns about system’s ability to respond to short-range rocket threats, IDF leadership has indicated that ground operations would be still be necessary in the face of a large barrage of rockets. At the same time, an article by JINSA Research Associate Jacob Levkowicz reports, analysts continue to claim that the system's high cost may well prevent it from ever entering serial production.

Israel's defense establishment conducted a successful test of the Arrow missile defense system February 11, 2007 for the first time during the night. The test, the 15th for the interceptor, the 10th for the complete weapon system, is part of the Arrow System Improvement Program (ASIP), which is being carried out jointly by Israel and the United States.