The next stage of the Iron Dome anti-missile battery

New upgrades to be implemented to the defense system that changed the face of the Israeli home front, defending millions of civilians against Gaza rocket fire

The Iron dome anti-missile defense system has already proven immensely successful in defending Israeli civilian communities by intercepting rockets fired by Gaza Strip terrorists. These record-breaking achievements have not slowed down the Aerial Defense Formation, which is already working on additional developments and improvements.

The next stage of the Iron Dome will include advances in interception capabilities, and will respond to a wider range of threats.

„Soon, we will update the system to the Block 2 version”, said Lt. Col. Shabtai Ben-Bocher, Head of the Lower Layer Wing of the Shield Administration-the division responsible for developing the needs of the Aerial Defense Formation, and for the advances and improvements of various weaponry systems. „The upgrade will acquire the IDF additional interception capabilities, and a variety of classified improvements. Moreover, it’s important to note that the system is constantly upgraded with small-scale improvements.”

Once the development of the second stage be complete within the next year, work on the the third stage (Block 3) is expected to commence. The third stage will include the improvement of control capabilities of the system.

Today there are three Iron Dome anti-missile batteries stationed in southern Israel, a fourth battery to become operational in the near future.

The Iron Dome operates day and night and at all climate conditions to intercept short range rockets, capable of counteracting multiple simultaneous threats. Radars detect a rocket launched at and transfers data of its route to the command and control system that calculates where it will hit. If the location threatens lives or property and justifies interception, a counteracting missile is launched against the rocket. The head of the intercepting missile explodes near the rocket at a location without inducing any harm.