Violence between the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel is threatening to spread full control of the war to Wednesday, May 13, with at least 83 people killed in Gaza and at least killed in Israel and seven in Israel. As the crisis intensifies, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) continue to rely on the so-called Iron Dome, an air defense system to deactivate and neutralize the front and back of rockets fired by the militant group Hamas, from the West Bank and Gaza to Israel.
Videos posted on social media effectively show this piece of military technology, showing a line of missiles being fired into the air before stopping mid-flight in a flash. The idea of an air defense system was encouraged in after a bloody clash between the Shiite Islamist militant groups Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon in 2006.
After several years of development and negotiation, the Iron Dome was launched in 2011 and the system launched from Gaza for the first time in April 7, 2011. The air defense system was developed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries. Some $210 million was spent somewhere in backing when the system was built. Developed using only Israeli funds, the project have received some financial support from the United States.
Simply put, the system uses interceptor missiles to detonate a rocket coming into the air. The process begins with a tracking and radar system that monitors the sky for any incoming object. Within seconds, advanced algorithms work quickly to detect the missile, and then calculate the rocket’s speed and trajectory.
The system will immediately launch an interceptor missile that is aimed at the offensive missile, causing it to cause a mid-air explosion with minimal damage to the ground. The system is amazingly effective. According to Raphael, the system blocks 90 percent of rockets, mortars, and artillery shells with a range of about 7 to 70 kilometers (4.3 to 43 miles). It is able to work day or night regardless of weather conditions. The Israeli Defense Forces currently has 10 Air Dome batteries, each equipped with three launchers for 20 interceptor missiles. Israel has also named the biblical story of David and Goliath, known as the Sling of David for medium to long-range rockets and cruise missiles.
