In News
- Recently, according to data from Israeli military diplomats, the Iron Dome air defense system has intercepted over 3,000 projectiles in the last 10 years.Â
What is the Iron Dome?
- Background:
- The genesis of the Iron Dome goes back to the 2006 Israeli-Lebanon war, when Hezbollah fired thousands of rockets into Israel.Â
- The Iron Dome was deployed in 2011.Â
- Development:
- It is developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.Â
- Features:
- It is a short-range, ground-to-air, air defence system that includes a radar and Tamir interceptor missiles that track and neutralise any rockets or missiles.
- It is used for countering rockets, artillery & mortars (C-RAM) as well as aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.Â
- It is capable of being used in all weather conditions, including during the day and night.Â
What makes it so effective?
- The Iron Dome has three main systems that work together to provide a shield over the area where it is deployed, handling multiple threats.
- It has a detection and tracking radar to spot any incoming threats, a battle management and weapon control system (BMC), and a missile firing unit.  Â
Other Air Defence Systems
- S-400 missile system:
- Missile defence system developed by Russia.
- Capable of intercepting all missiles (long, medium & short range).
- Can intercept 5th generation fighter aircrafts, drones, cruise & ballistic missiles.
- Range: 300-400 kms.Â
- India has S-400 which also caters to the three threats (rockets, missiles and cruise missiles).
- Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD):
- American anti-ballistic missile defense system.
- Designed to shoot down short, medium & intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
- Range: Greater than 200 km.
Source: IE
