It’s not the Star Wars Missile Defense System but it is real, it is here now, and it works. Yes, Israel’s new Iron Dome missile defense system was used in the field for the first time and … it worked.
Over the past few days the Israeli cities of Beersheba, Ashkelon and Ashdod have seen a barrage of rockets sent over from Gaza (this started right after the attacks on tourist buses on the Egyptian border). While many of the rockets that were aimed toward civilian populations actually landed in fields when fired, enough of them hit their mark and caused deaths and serious injuries. In all, there have been over 100 rocket and mortar since the end of last week. It is hard to get an accurate count since the western media has not reported on this, but Information is available on the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) site .
There would have been many more deaths and injuries, were it not for one piece of amazing tech – Israel’s new “Iron Dome” anti-missile defense system. The system went on line for the first time in a combat environment, and it was successful in intercepting many of the rockets. Although it wasn’t 100% successful, because of the new defense system at least a dozen or so of the rockets launched never had a chance to kill or injure innocents.
According to the IDF website, on August 21st alone, over 20 rockets were launched at Israeli communities … and the Iron Dome battery intercepted approximately ten of them.
“We’ve been preparing our forces, even before the launchings began. Two batteries have been working continuously and intensively. The combination of experienced soldiers and commanders and a defensive weapon that proves successful time and time again in extremely complicated interceptions against the threat of rockets,” said Lt. Col. Shabtai Ben Boucher commander of the Iron Dome battery unit.
It is an amazing piece of technology that is already savings lives and, one has to imagine, it will only get better with time.
Here’s a video of the Iron Dome Missile Defense System in action …
via: Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) site
