Israel conducts successful test of 'Iron Dome' rocket defense system
Friday, March 27, 2009 E-Mail this story Free Headline Alerts
TEL AVIV Ñ Israel has concluded the first live-fire test of its new rocket defense system, as renewed Palestinian strikes continue.
The Defense Ministry said the military tested the "Iron Dome" rocket defense system against a live target. The ministry, in a statement on March 26, said the system passed what was termed a "critical test" in late March and tracked and intercepted an incoming rocket.
"The defense establishment is committed to doing everything it can to provide all of Israel's citizens with protection against rocket and missile threat," Defense Ministry director-general Pinhas Buchris said.
Officials said Iron Dome intercepted the BM-21 Grad rocket on March 25. They said this marked the first live-fire test of Iron Dome, scheduled for initial deployment by 2010. In January 2009, Hamas fired scores of Grad rockets into Israel. Most of the rockets were 122 mm, along with Chinese variants with a range of 40 kilometers.
Officials said the live fire test confirmed previous simulations of Iron Dome. They said additional tests would be conducted over the next few months as part of a fast-track development of short-range missile and rocket defense.
The Defense Ministry did not specify an interception by Iron Dome. Instead, in a cryptic statement, the ministry said Iron Dome responded "accordingly" to the fire of several rockets "of the same type that were fired in recent years at Israel."
Iron Dome, severely criticized by the state comptroller, has been developed by the state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Officials said the system has reached the final stage of development and was running ahead of schedule. They said the first Iron Dome battalion would be established within the Israel Air Force by August 2009.
"This is a national mission aimed at reaching the stage in which a clear majority of missiles do not reach their targets," Defense Minister Ehud Barak said.