Exploring Israel's Iron Dome Defence System.

In light of the recent surprise attack by Hamas which managed to overwhelm Israel's Iron Dome defence system, experts around the world are re-evaluating its robustness and efficacy. The system, Israel claims, has an impressive 90% effectiveness rating - a claim echoed by the US Department of Defense.

Originating from the expertise of Israeli defence technology company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the Iron Dome project was backed by a $200m grant from the United States. Conceived as a counter-measure against rocket attacks during the 2006 war with Hezbollah, the Iron Dome was fully operational by 2011. Having proven its worth, a naval iteration made its debut in 2017 to preserve the security of sea-based assets.

Utilizing a highly sensitive tracking radar, the Iron Dome pinpoints incoming rockets, determining their trajectories and speed. Depending on whether these rockets pose a threat to Israeli towns, the system either allows them to land unchallenged or eliminates them using a payload of 20 interceptor missiles.

Despite its technical prowess, the Iron Dome's ability to cope with an unusually high saturation of rockets is uncertain. In May 2021, the system successfully intercepted 470 rockets on the first day of fighting. However, the recent barrage of 5,000 rockets, as claimed by Hamas, overwhelmed the system. As pointed out in 2021 by Forbes, the Iron Dome has a finite threshold for intercepting rockets, beyond which its effectiveness dwindles.

Notwithstanding promising sales to countries like the US and interest from Ukraine, the Iron Dome also suffers from potential technical issues. MIT physicist Theodore Postol previously highlighted erratic interceptor behaviour, which could undermine the system's performance. With global eyes fixated on Israel's Iron Dome, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will be under pressure to ensure consistent effectiveness.