A live-fire exercise demonstrated the successful integration of the Israeli interceptor with U.S. technology, marking a milestone in the modernization of the Marine Corps' air defense capabilities.
The United States Marines have reached a significant milestone in modernizing their capabilities air defense by successfully completing its first live-fire exercise with a system that integrates the Israeli interceptor Iron Dome, the Israeli Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
The system, designed to strengthen the air defense capabilities of the US military, integrates technology from both countries“Iron Dome continues to prove itself as a unique and advanced air defence system, with thousands of successful interceptions in complex operational scenarios,” he said. Shlomo Toaff, Senior Vice President and Director of the Air Defense Systems Division of Raphael.
During testing, The Marines fully operated the system, which combines an American radar and command and control center with the interceptor Iron Dome and a mobile launcher, developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Raytheon as prime contractor.
The tests demonstrated the effectiveness of the system in “relevant and challenging interception scenarios”, according to the official statement.
The system Iron Dome has proven its versatility by successfully intercepting multiple types of aerial threats, including cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and various rockets, artillery shells and mortars, the Israeli Defense Ministry report said.
Moshe Patel, director of the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), highlighted the Proven effectiveness of the system in real conditions Combat: “Iron Dome is a system with extensive operational experience, with thousands of successful interceptions over more than a decade. Iron Dome continues to save lives even now, during the Iron Swords War.”
“The U.S. Marine Corps live-fire exercise further demonstrates the Iron Dome interceptor and ground infrastructure's ability to quickly and efficiently integrate with any relevant air defense system and intercept various air threats in complex scenarios“Patel added.
The development is part of the Israeli multi-layered defense system, which includes four operational layers: the Iron Dome Defense System, the David's Sling Weapon System, and the Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 Weapon Systems, the statement said.
International collaboration has been fundamental in this achievement.As Toaff noted: “The fruitful cooperation with the U.S. Marine Corps, coupled with the partnership with Raytheon, demonstrates Rafael’s ability to provide unique, tailored solutions that offer effective and precise defense against various aerial threats.”
This progress comes in a moment of growing international tension and represents a significant step toward operationally fielding the first prototype battery for the Marines. The successful exercise is part of a broader Marine-led development and acquisition program to evaluate a new prototype system for medium range interception capability (MRIC).
“The Department of Defense welcomes any collaboration in air defense with the U.S. military branches,” Patel said, stressing the strategic importance of this technological partnership between the two nations.
The successful integration of Iron Dome into U.S. defense capabilities could set a precedent for future collaborations in military technology between both countries, especially in a context where defense against air threats is becoming increasingly important in modern conflicts.
Development of the program will continue, Toaff said: “We will continue to work alongside the Israel Ministry of Defense’s Research and Development Directorate to expand air defense capabilities in collaboration with our strategic partners around the world.”