How is the famous Israeli air defense system composed and how effective is it?

So far in 2024, Iran has lined up its batteries on two occasions against its eternal enemy, Israel. In both attacks, one that occurred in mid-April and the other this Tuesday, October 1, the projectiles were intercepted – for the most part – by the advanced air defense system of the Hebrew state.

El Comercio participated in a press round at the Israeli Aerospace Industry (IAI), the public-private alliance company in charge of developing the systems that allow the Steel Dome to operate, the Arrow systems, and very soon, its senior managers assure, a modern laser beam that will contribute to the protection and security of the country.

Shay Gal, IAI Vice President of External Relations, was in charge of answering our questions:

– They say that here at the IAI the most effective air defense system in the world was born…

During the 1980s, after Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi launched rockets on an Italian island in the Mediterranean, US President Ronald Reagan sent one of his generals to allied countries to find out if there was a way to stop a bullet with another bullet or intercepting a missile with another missile. Most of the responses were negative, until it got here.

-Did they already have it developed?

Towards the end of that decade, the Arrow 1 system was developed in Israel and it was proven that it could work. So in the following decade it became a reality. When Amir Peretz was Minister of Defense of Israel, in the first decade of this century, it was decided that the Steel Dome and David’s Sling systems would be added to this due to the missiles that fell here during the Second Lebanon War (year 2006).

– What systems do you currently have?

We have the Arrow 3 system, which intercepts missiles that go above the atmosphere; then there is the Arrow 2 system, which is responsible for those that go inside the atmosphere; It is followed by David’s Honda, responsible for projectiles that travel between 70 and 150 kilometers in height; and finally there is the Iron Dome, in charge of nearby projectiles. And very soon we hope to have the ‘Iron Beam’ or Light Shield, for which we have produced the radar systems.

– What is the effectiveness rate of this entire complex system?

I can’t give you an exact number for security reasons, but you will understand that it is very high. I can give you an example. On April 14, when Iran attacked us with more than 300 missiles, projectiles and drones, we had a 98% success rate.

– Besides the Shield of Light, what else are you working on now?

We work on the Arrow 4 system. I can’t give details on how it works, but I think by looking at the rest of our system you can understand that our priority is to defend and not attack. Protect the country.

– How long do the systems take to respond?

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are in charge of these operations. But I can tell you that if a ballistic missile is fired from Iran it will take about 12 minutes from launch to detonation with David’s Slingshot. While if it is a missile launched by Hamas from the Gaza Strip towards Sderot (southern Israeli city) it will take just 12 seconds. We have to act promptly.