IRON DOME (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Israel's Iron Dome, an anti-missile system, successfully thwarted more than 5,000 rockets fired from Gaza, a confined region with a population of 2.3 million Palestinians.
Iron Dome

• About: Israel's air missile defense system, known as the Iron Dome, safeguards against short-range rockets by intercepting them mid-air.
• Capability: It can effectively handle multiple rockets simultaneously.
• Development: Created by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, the system became operational in March 2011.

Features

• Functionality: The Iron Dome identifies and intercepts various targets, including mortars, rockets, and artillery.
• Power Source: It operates using missile-defense batteries.
• All-Weather Performance: It functions day or night and in diverse weather conditions like fog, rain, dust storms, and low clouds.
• Versatile Interceptors: The system can launch various interceptor missiles.
• Range: Designed to intercept missiles with a range of approximately 40 miles or less.
• Mobility: It can be transported by land or sea to adapt to defense requirements.
• Reload Requirement: Continuous missile interception necessitates reloading.