The US Army, the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd have successfully completed a live fire test of the first US Army Iron Dome Defense System (IDDS-A) Battery, which the U.S. Army acquired from Israel. The performance and live fire test was conducted at the White Sands New Mexico (WSMR) test range, and was the first time US soldiers intercepted live targets employing the Iron Dome System.Iron Dome’s MMR radar, manufactured and developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), notices, classifies and calculates airborne and ballistic threats.
With the United States on track to greatly increase funding for Iron Dome, there have been calls for technology transfer and co-production of Iron Dome in the United States. Just as the US and Israel share co-production of the Arrow III missile system, with Boeing manufacturing 40–50 percent of the production content, there has been support in the U.S. Congress, media and think tanks in favor of co-production. The U.S. House of Representatives included report language in its FY-2013 Defense Authorization Act supporting Iron Dome with $680 million should explore any opportunity to enter into co-production of the Iron Dome system with Israel.
There were media reports that the Pentagon was requesting similar language in the Senate Defense Authorization Act as well as the respective House and Senate defense appropriations bills for 2013. Adding Iron Dome to the list of high-tech military programs built jointly by both nations would help further strengthen ties between Israel and the United States. In July 2014 it was announced that Raytheon would be the major U.S. partner in co-production of major components for the Iron Dome’s Tamir intercepting missile. The U.S. firm will supply components through various subcontractors.
Iron Dome is a mobile all-weather air defense system[8] developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries. The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to 70 kilometres (43 mi) away and whose trajectory would take them to an Israeli populated area. Iron Dome is part of a multi-tiered missile defense system that Israel was continuing to develop in 2016 to protect the country from threats ranging from mortars to ICBMs and which includes Arrow 2, Arrow 3, Iron Beam, Barak 8 and David’s Sling.
