Kill before you get killed – is that the solution?

This post is also available in: עברית (Hebrew)

The dilemma did not stop the politicians and scientists but many people in key positions in Israel are pondering whether this is the solution to a problem that only because of an “Optical mistake” looks as one that only Israel has to solve.

The problem is simple to define, not so easy to solve – many terror organizations have come to the very logical conclusion that           rockets, some of them “homemade” and missiles of many types, can paralyze a country and put its armed forces in a very tough position.

Israel has become a “master laboratory” to many combat scenarios that later were exported to other parts of the world. That happened with improvised explosive devices (IED’S) that were widely used when Israel controlled south Lebanon and now with the wide array of rockets that are available on the international weapons markets or can be built in the back yard.

The rockets that were fired from south Lebanon and the Gaza strip caused a relatively low number of casualties but that might not be the outcome in the future. To be ready for future assaults with rockets, with greater range and much destructive warhead and with long range ballistic missiles, Israel has decided to build a three layered defense system.

While the efforts to achieve an agreement with the Palestinian authority continue, at least in talk, and while the world is making pathetic steps or “sanctions” against the extreme regime in Teheran, Israel is investing a lot of efforts and money in building the most advanced, most versatile national defense system against rockets and missiles.

Israel has stepped up its efforts to gain a fully operational three tier defense system against rockets and missiles.

With assistance from the U.S., Rafael, one of Israel’s defense industries, in cooperation with Raytheon, is developing the David’s Sling Weapon System.

The David’s Sling Weapon System is aimed at defending the Israeli populated areas against medium range rockets.

Rafael has developed the Iron Dome system aimed at intercepting short range rockets. Five batteries are already operational and in recent clashes intercepted almost 90 % of the rockets.

The third layer will be composed of the Israel aerospace industries (IAI) Arrow-2 fully operational system aimed at intercepting long range ballistic missiles and the Arrow-3, currently under development. This completely new missile will have longer range and a kinetic kill capability, crucial when the attacking missile is equipped with a non conventional warhead.

While the three layered defense systems are being built , many are raising doubts about the logic behind their inception.

These people, placed in some key positions in the Israeli defense establishment, say that the three layered defense system “does not make sense”. They say that in attrition war between homemade rockets and even series production rockets that are very cheap on the market the winner is obvious. They claim that the “passive defense” approach that is behind the idea of the three layered system, is twisted

“Israel has the means to defend itself against rockets and missiles using offensive methods and not defensive ones” one of the most active critics said recently.

The critics and they are not a few obsessive types, say that a country should not base its national defense on systems that cannot match the availability of the threat, meaning the proportion between the defensive missiles in store, with the number of rockets and missiles that the enemy can launch.

At this point the voices of the critics are faint and it seems that the government is continuing with its efforts to have the operational three layered defense system in place as soon as possible. But the reality in the Middle East may change very fast, and the key is as always in the hand of the politicians.

While there is no sign that someone in key positions really thinks of an alternative that will not involve the never ending development of Arrow-3, David’s Sling  and Iron Dome advanced, some voices show signs that in the future the trend might change in some degree,

The ongoing effort to complete the three layered defense system is huge. But for the first time voices are heard that Israel with its very advanced airforce should think of ways to put a fast end to any attempt to paralyze the country with salvos of rockets and missiles.

The critics say that the threat of rockets in the hands of nongovernmental organizations should also point to a solution based of offensive means a country has and not on building an invisible defensive bubble above it.

They immediately add that the proliferation of the easy accessed rockets and missiles makes the problem one that may be faced by other countries and therefore the solution should be offensive. “The world should not go into a never ending race between the ballistic threats and the ways to counter them. This is what strong air forces and other forces are for. The change should be in the heads of the politicians that run the countries” one of the more strong Israeli critics said recently.