Israel Says It Completed Tests of Naval Iron Dome System

YERUSHALAYIM

Operation of the Naval Iron Dome, aboard the Sa’ar 6-class corvettes, off the coast of Israel. (Ministry of Defense Spokesperson’s Office)

The Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), under the Ministry of Defense’s DDR&D, along with the Israeli Navy and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, have successfully completed a series of multi-system and multi-tier tests using the naval version of the Iron Dome system, known as “C-Dome.” The C-Dome, installed on the Israeli Navy’s Saar 6 “Magen” corvettes, successfully intercepted advanced targets that represent threats to the State of Israel’s infrastructure and strategic assets in its exclusive economic zone. Israeli Navy combat personnel operated the systems used in the test as part of the operating process of the Magen corvettes.

The series of tests included simulated existing and future threats that the Magen ships may face during conflict, such as rockets, cruise missiles and UAVs. The tests integrated shipboard systems with Israel’s multi-tier defense array and tested new technologies to enhance the air and missile defense multi-tier array’s operational effectiveness at sea and on land. The success of the tests is another significant milestone in the array’s development to counter existing and future threats in various combat arenas.

The C-Dome system contributes to the Magen corvettes’ defensive capabilities and improves existing capabilities to protect the State of Israel’s assets and economic interests within the exclusive economic zone and ensures naval superiority.

The C-Dome system aboard Sa’ar 6 Magen corvettes is based on the Iron Dome system and constitutes an additional layer of the State of Israel’s multi-tier air and missile defense array. The array is based on four operational defense tiers: Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow 2 and Arrow 3. Development of these systems is led by DDR&D’s Israel Missile Defense Organization. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is the prime contractor and developer of the Iron Dome and works in partnership with subcontractors such as Israel Aerospace Industries’ Elta Systems, which supplies the multi-mission radar, and mPrest, responsible for the command-and-control systems.

Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, said, “The C-Dome system constitutes a significant leap forward in our defense capabilities, and ensures the Israeli defense establishment’s superiority and operational capabilities in the face of growing threats in the maritime arena. The system’s naval adaptation is part of our advanced multi-tier air and missile defense system. I would like to express my great appreciation for the Directorate for Defense R&D, the IDF and Rafael, for turning a tech vision into reality – developing operational capabilities in the field.”

Head of the DDR&D, Brig. Gen. (res.) Dr. Daniel Gold, said, “These successful tests are one of the many efforts we are carrying out to improve our air and missile defense systems’ preparedness for future threats and improve system performance in the face of existing threats. The campaign’s success further strengthens our confidence in the defense systems and their ability to protect extensive areas as well as the State of Israel’s strategic assets on land and at sea. We will continue working together with the IDF and Israeli defense industries to protect the State of Israel, while realizing and preserving the State of Israel’s qualitative advantage.”

Director of DDR&D’s IMDO, Mr. Moshe Patel, added, “The Israeli defense establishment is constantly upgrading the Iron Dome’s capabilities on land and at sea to increase its effectiveness. During this current campaign, we successfully tested the Naval Iron Dome’s new capabilities aboard the Sa’ar 6 corvette together with additional systems in Israel’s multi-tier air and missile defense array, including connectivity between systems onboard with those on land, and a new radar developed to protect Israel’s exclusive economic zone. The system successfully identified various threats including rockets, UAVs and cruise missiles, and destroyed them using interceptors launched from onboard the ship at sea, with exceptional precision. The preparation and execution of this test was done in parallel with the successful operational participation of Iron Dome and David’s Sling during Operation Shield and Arrow. We continue to provide technological support for current needs, alongside development of new solutions for future threats.”

Head of Material, Technology and Logistics Command, Rear Admiral Ariel Shir, said: “The current experiment is part of the road map for the development and improvement of the defense capabilities of the defense ships, while providing a response and adaptation to the evolving needs in the arena. This experiment is further evidence of the development and improvement capabilities of the various systems in the face of threats, and the ability of the defense ship systems to operate in an integrated and complete manner – from the construction of the naval and aerial picture, through the discovery, classification and identification of threats and ending with interception and accurate destruction of the threats. These capabilities were achieved through close cooperation with the Ministry of Defense/DDR&D, Israeli industries, Israeli Air Force (IAF) and naval engineers and personnel at the headquarters and on the vessels. The experiment included both an improvement in the existing systems, and a proof of capability for a new anti-aircraft missile that significantly improves the defense envelope of the defense ships, both independently and as part of the national anti-aircraft network.”

Executive Vice President and Head of the Land and Naval Systems Directorate at RAFAEL, Dr. Ran Gozali, said, “The success of the latest live trials of the C-DOME missile defense system constitutes another technological breakthrough led by RAFAEL. We are proud of our role in supporting the development of the Israeli Navy’s operational capabilities and of the Israel Defense Forces in general. We continue striving toward executing our mission of ensuring technological excellence and the most capable defense for the State of Israel.”

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