How strong is Israel’s defense with the “Arrow” anti-missile system and Iron Dome | Arrow-3 | Hamas

[The Epoch Times, November 18, 2023](Comprehensive report by Epoch Times reporter Xia Yu) As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, Israel has been defending the country in the escalating battle. The country’s famous “iron The Dome defense system has been fending off Hamas’ short-range attacks. On November 9, the Israeli military stated that it successfully used its Arrow-3 missile defense system to intercept surface-to-surface missiles launched towards its territory for the first time. On November 14, the Israeli military once again used the “Arrow” system to successfully intercept missiles.

Since the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the death of 1,200 Israelis, Israel has declared war and launched the most violent air strikes in the Gaza Strip in history. At the same time, Israel has also launched the most advanced defense system to resist Hamas attacks.

“Iron Dome” is a mobile air defense system designed to defend against incoming short-range weapons, while the “Arrow” anti-missile system demonstrated by the Israeli military can enhance protection against long-range attacks.

The Israeli military stated on November 14 that it used the “Arrow” air defense system to intercept a missile near the Red Sea that day. It is unclear whether the Arrow 2 or Arrow 3 air defense system was used in the interception operation.

Israel’s air defense system consists of multiple layers. While Iron Dome can deal with smaller threats, Arrow can intercept larger attacks. Israel’s “David’s Sling” defense system is the “middle layer” of air defense.

The world’s first theater ballistic missile defense system

The “Arrow” system includes the “Arrow-2” and “Arrow-3” interception systems, enabling it to intercept short-range, medium-range and long-range ballistic missiles.

According to Air Force Technology, one launch unit of the Arrow-2 interceptor system designed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is deployed near Tel Aviv, and the other is deployed south of Haifa. The system is designed to intercept short- and medium-range missiles and has been successfully tested more than a dozen times since its deployment in 2000 and 2004.

“Arrow-3” is one of the most advanced anti-missile systems in the world and the world’s first theater ballistic missile defense system. It can intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere and has anti-satellite capabilities.

According to “Air Force Technology”, the “Arrow-3” interceptor was jointly developed by the US defense company Boeing and IAI and has higher speed and range than the “Arrow-2” system interceptor. Arrow-3 is an exoatmospheric missile defense system designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside the Earth’s atmosphere. The first successful test of the Arrow-3 system took place in 2013, followed by a second flight test by the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency in January 2014.

The “Arrow-3” system was officially deployed in January 2017 and can be regarded as the Israeli version of the THAAD system, which can shoot down ballistic missiles. This interception was the first actual combat operation of the “Arrow-3”.

A complete “Arrow-3” anti-missile weapon system mainly consists of a land-based mobile missile launch unit, anti-missile interceptor, EL/M-2080 “Super Green Pine” radar, “Citron Tree” combat management center, ” It is composed of “stick tree” launch control center and other parts. Among them, the land-based mobile missile launch unit of the “Arrow-3” anti-missile weapon system adopts a five-axle tractor-trailer chassis, and the trailer part is equipped with a set of multi-unit missile vertical launch devices.

Uzi Rubin, an Israeli engineer responsible for the development of the Arrow system, told the Jerusalem Post that the Arrow system was developed to defend targets that are more difficult than Iron Dome. Rubin also told the media that the successful defense of ballistic missiles using the Arrow-3 system sends a message to neighboring countries that Israel is prepared to defend against sophisticated long-range enemy weapons.

Starting in 2021, Israel stated that it is jointly developing the “Arrow-4” system with the United States.

“Iron Dome” defense system

The “Iron Dome” defense system was developed and manufactured by Israel’s “Rafael Advanced Systems” and Israel Aerospace Industries. It consists of a launch module, a radar module, a control module, and a detection module. It can pass the Raytheon The Tamir interceptor missile produced can intercept incoming enemy rockets and missiles. It is generally believed that the interception range is 40 miles, and it is a terminal interception system.

Additionally, Iron Dome technology can detect when a rocket is about to crash in the air, eliminating the need for interception, and when a missile is crashing into a residential or densely populated area.

The “Iron Dome” system is mainly used to intercept rockets and artillery shells launched by armed groups in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“David’s Sling” defense system

The “David’s Sling” missile defense system is mainly used to intercept medium-range missiles with a range of 40 to 300 kilometers. As an important part of Israel’s multi-layered missile defense system, it effectively fills the interception gap between the “Iron Dome” interception system and the “Arrow” anti-missile system.

David is the legendary king of ancient Israel. At a critical moment when Israel was facing a foreign invasion and the country’s survival was at stake, David, who was still a shepherd boy at the time, bravely stepped forward to fight and fired a stone with a sling to smash the enemy leader’s head. Finally, he successfully defeated the enemy and saved Israel.

The “David’s Sling” system was jointly developed by Israel’s Rafael and the United States’ Raytheon. The high-speed and high-mobility interceptor uses a two-stage rocket, with dual-color imaging infrared photoelectric and millimeter-wave radar composite guidance, a three-way data link, and advanced anti-electronics And anti-infrared jamming capabilities, as well as the ability to change and retarget mid-range, the Elta EL/M-2084 active phased array radar provides long-range early warning and guidance. The system began development in 2009 and entered service in 2017.

“David’s Sling” is mainly used to intercept medium-range ballistic missiles, large-caliber rockets, cruise missiles and drones, further strengthening Israel’s multi-layered defense capabilities against rocket and missile attacks.

Editor in charge: Li Yuan#