The controversial "Iron Dome" short-range missile defense system scored its first operational hits yesterday when militants fired Grad rockets from Gaza into southern Israel.
According to reports from the area, the interception could be seen in Israeli towns near northern Gaza. The second Iron Dome battery was positioned in the area of Ashkelon over the weekend, in addition to a battery already placed north of Be'er Sheva.
The Iron Dome consists of a tracking radar, battle management system and a battery of Rafael-made Tamir missile with EO guidance. The system has been criticized for its expense, with each missile reportedly costing upwards of $50,000 each. The Iron Dome is designed to determine which rockets are likely to hit populated areas and intercept those. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me...
The system was approved for deployment back in July, and according to the Haaretz report, was only recently made operational in border towns.
-- Christian
