Iron Dome

Iron Dome
Iron Dome launches an interceptor during Operation Pillar of Defense
Type	C-RAM and short range air defence system
Place of origin	Israel
Service history
In service	2011–present
Used by	Israel
Wars	Gaza–Israel conflict (2011, 2012) Operation Pillar of Defense, Operation Protective Edge, Sinai insurgency
Production history
Designer	Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries
Designed	2005–present
Manufacturer	Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries
Unit cost	$50 million per battery $40,000 per missile
Produced	2011–present
Number built	10 batteries deployed (Planned deployment is 15)
Specifications
Weight	90 kg (200 lb)
Length	3 m (9.8 ft)
Diameter	160 mm (6.3 in)
Detonation mechanism	Proximity fuze
Launch platform	Three/Four launchers, each carrying 20 interceptors.

$50 million per battery

Iron Dome (Hebrew: כִּפַּת בַּרְזֶל‎, kippat barzel) is a mobile all-weather air defense system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aircraft Industries. The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to 70 kilometres (43 mi) away and whose trajectory would take them to a populated area.Israel hopes to increase the range of Iron Dome's interceptions, from the current maximum of 70 kilometres (43 mi) to 250 kilometres (160 mi) and make it more versatile so that it could intercept rockets coming from two directions simultaneously.

Iron Dome was declared operational and initially deployed on 27 March 2011 near Beersheba. On 7 April 2011, the system successfully intercepted a Grad rocket launched from Gaza for the first time. On 10 March 2012, The Jerusalem Post reported that the system shot down 90% of rockets launched from Gaza that would have landed in populated areas. By November 2012, official statements indicated that it had intercepted 400+ rockets. By late October 2014, the Iron Dome systems had intercepted over 1,200 rockets.

Iron Dome is part of a future multi-tiered missile defense system that Israel is developing, which will also include Arrow 2, Arrow 3, Iron Beam and David's Sling as early as 2018.