Iron Dome Intercepting UAV

Iron Dome Intercepting UAV

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The Rafael Iron Dome rocket interceptor has proved its capability to shoot down unmanned air vehicles (UAVs).This fact already creates interest in many countries.

This surprising capability was proven after a long series of tests performed by Rafael .

Iron Dome is currently the most capable counter Rockets, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) system, and has more than 1,500 combat intercepts. While the capability of Iron Dome to intercept UAVs has always been touted, it had never been seen.

A video released shows Iron Dome interceptions of both low and high-flying UAVs, in both look-up and look-down scenarios. Photos of the UAV debris show that the target was completely destroyed by the interceptor’s large warhead. Rafael emphasized that the system requires no modification to perform the Counter-UAV (C-UAV) mission, and it retains its proven C-RAM performance.

“Iron Dome C-UAS performance is not surprising”, said Oron Oriol, Rafael Marketing and Business Development Vice President. “The interceptor has capabilities far and beyond those that have been demonstrated in combat. It has unparalleled maneuverability and a warhead that is 2 to 3 times larger than anything else out there. Iron Dome can take out armed UAVs before they are close enough to release their munitions, and most Medium Altitude reconnaissance UAVs before they are close enough to their target to perform their mission.”

AUS&R2015_E_728x90Terror organization like the Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Hamas in Gaza have in recent years used UAVs to try and penetrate the Israeli air space. Those UAVs were shot down by air-air missiles and others by Patriot missiles.

Ari  Sacher, systems development, air superiority systems division of Rafael said that in the recent tests some UAV have been destroyed by proximity operated warheads while in some of the tests the interceptor achieved a kinetic hit.

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