[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: It is interesting to note that at the very start
of the Iron Dome project there was a rabbinical ruling that it was
permissible to work on the project on the Sabbath because of the anticipated
critical life saving function of the project.]

Defense Ministry Statement

(Communicated by Josh Hantman, International Media Advisor, MOD
dover@mod.gov.il )

The Ministry of Defense is bringing forward the transfer of the fifth
upgraded ‘Iron Dome’ battery by two months. The battery will be passed over
to the active air defense units of the Air Force tomorrow evening
(Saturday,17 November 2012).

On the instructions of the Minister of Defense; the Defense Research and
Development Division of the Ministry of Defense, in conjunction with Rafael,
have accelerated the development of the fifth battery and its subsequent
transfer to the Israeli Air Force.

The fifth battery that is currently in development has displayed impressive
capabilities in a series of advanced tests that have taken place during
recent weeks. It was supposed to be transferred to the Air Force at the
beginning of 2013. However, following the recent events, the Ministry of
Defense decided to take the battery out of the test firing arena and move it
over to the operational arena. The process was therefore expedited by two
months.

The personnel of the Israeli Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), together
with the engineers of the Defense industries, are working around the clock
in order to get the battery up to speed. They will also accompany the
operational deployment of the battery in the field. The engineers of the
Ministry of Defense and Israel’s defense industries will instruct the active
air defense personnel of the Israeli air force regarding the upgraded
systems of the new battery, while facilitating its operation.

The fifth battery of the ‘Iron Dome’ is a more advanced battery in terms of
its range of operational capabilities when facing an unprecedented host of
threats.