Understanding Israel's Iron Dome: what it is and why it's an iron clad success

Full story

Israel’s Iron Dome gives the country one of its biggest military advantages. Developed in 2007, the dome has been credited with blocking thousands of incoming rockets, and in turn, saving thousands of Israeli lives.

Alex Peebles

Make SAN preferred on Google Show Transcript

Baumgardner: FOR NEARLY A DECADE, ISRAEL’S IRON DOME HAS BEEN LIGHTING UP THE SKY. INTERCEPTING ENEMY ROCKETS WITH A REPORTED 90 PERCENT SUCCESS RATE.

ISRAELI HOME OWENER RASHI ROSENZWEIG, HAS A FRONT ROW SEAT.

Rosenzweig: “You see the rockets coming. But then you see the Iron Dome, rockets intercepted and it’s done. With ease.”

Baumgardner: HE’S DESCRIBING HIS COUNTRY’S ONE-OF-A-KIND AERIAL DEFENSE SYSTEM SPREAD THROUGHOUT ISRAEL.

THE IRON DOME IS NOT REALLY A DOME AT ALL… IT’S A SYSTEM MADE UP OF SEVERAL AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY BATTERIES.

EACH BATTERY CONTAINS A RADAR UNIT, CONTROL CENTER, AND MISSILE LAUNCHERS.

Israeli Commander: “WE’RE PREPARED TO FIRE>

Baumgardner: HERE’S HOW IT WORKS.

ONCE AN ENEMY ROCKET IS FIRED, A RADAR SYSTEM DETECTS THE INCOMING THREAT AND ALERTS THE COMMAND CENTER.

THE CENTER DETERMINES THE TYPE OF PROJECTILE AND ESTIMATES ITS IMPACT POINT.

A LAUNCHER THEN FIRES A MISSILE AT THE INCOMING ROCKET.

THE MISSILE EXPLODES NEAR THE ROCKET, DESTROYING IT MID-FLIGHT, BEFORE IT CAN CAUSE ANY DESTRUCTION ON THE GROUND.

THIS PROCESS creates an invisible SHIELD or dome, FROM THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION OF MOST INCOMING ROCKETS.

IN THE RECENT 11-DAY CONFLICT WITH GAZA PALESTINIANS REPORTED A DEATH TOLL OF MORE THAN 200 WHILE ISRAEL REPORTED 12.

CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN 2007 OUT OF NECESSITY…AS THE SMALL NATION WAS UNABLE TO FULLY DEFEND ITSELF DURING AIR RAIDS WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES AND REGIONAL MILITANTS.

DANIEL GOLD CREATED THE iron dome…WHILE HEADING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES.

HE WAS INTERVIEWED FOR IZZY MEDIA’S ‘UNDER THE IRON DOME’ DOCUMENTARY.

Gold: ‘’Nobody thought it would work. They said “here he is again with some massive project. That’ll take 15, 20 years. Billions of dollars. Nothing will come of it.”

Baumgardner: NOW IT OFFERS ISRAEL ITS GREATEST HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE.

IT ALSO GIVES PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY A SENSE OF SECURITY.

AVIV GILAD LIVES IN CENTRAL ISRAEL.

Gilad: “There’s this Iron Dome that protects me, my family, my friends, and everyone.”

Baumgardner: But WHILE THE SYSTEM IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, IT’S NOT PERFECT.

IT’s UNABLE TO INTERCEPT A FASTER, GUIDED ROCKET OR NUCLEAR WARHEADs.

THE LIMITATIONS ARE ALSO GEOGRAPHIC… EACH BATTERY CAN ONLY PROTECT 60 TO 95 SQUARE MILES AT A TIME.

ADDITIONALLY, ISRAEL’S ENEMIES ARE ADAPTING. FIRING SEVERAL ROCKETS AT ONCE IN AN ATTEMPT TO OVERWHELM THE DOME’S SYSTEM.

AND IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT THIS LIFE-SAVING TECHNOLOGY ISN’T CHEAP.

EACH INTERCEPTOR MISSILE IS ESTIMATED TO COST BETWEEN 50 AND 100 THOUSAND DOLLARS.

DESPITE THE CHALLENGES, ISRAEL IS WORKING TO MONETIZE ITS IRON DOME TECHNOLOGY. AND OTHER COUNTRIES, LIKE THE U.S., ARE BUYING.

TWO BATTERIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN DELIVERED TO FORT BLISS IN TEXAS. ARMY OFFICIALS SAY THEY PLAN TO DEPLOY THE EQUIPMENT FOR USE LATER THIS YEAR…