Israel Readies First US Co-Production Order for Iron Dome
Jul. 12, 2014 - 10:20AM | By BARBARA OPALL-ROME
http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140712/DEFREG04/307120022/Israel-Readi=
es-First-US-Co-Production-Order-Iron-Dome

WASHINGTON =97 Israel fielded its seventh Iron Dome intercepting battery un=
der =

fire last week in an operational debut that destroyed five Gaza-launched =

rockets headed for the nation=92s economic and cultural heart of Tel Aviv.

In its escalating campaign against Hamas and other Gaza-based groups, the =

Israeli-developed and US-funded Iron Dome - with an estimated success rate =

of 90 percent - is demonstrating game-changing value against asymmetrical =

threats, Israeli officials say.

The July 10 interception over Tel Aviv by Israel=92s newest Iron Dome batte=
ry =

averted strategic tailwind for Hamas, which claimed credit for the attack =

that could have triggered a full-scale Israeli invasion of Gaza, Israeli =

sources said.

That critical interception and 100 others scored by Iron Dome since the Jul=
y =

7 start of Operation Protective Edge highlights the =93strategic significan=
ce=94 =

of active defenses in Israel=92s battle against more than 10,000 Gaza-based =

rockets threatening nearly three quarters of the country.

As of press time on July 11, no Israelis had been killed in more than 400 =

Gaza-launched rocket attacks. In contrast, Israeli air, land and sea-based =

strikes against more than 1,100 targets throughout the strip killed nearly =

100 uninvolved Palestinians, most of them women and children.

In July 11 talks with executives from Rafael, Iron Dome prime contractor, =

and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), producer of the system=92s multimiss=
ion =

radar, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya=92alon credited Iron Dome for its =

=93impressive performance=94 and =93strategic significance=94 in the ongoin=
g =

campaign.

=93First and foremost, it saves lives and grants us expanded opportunities =
for =

managing the campaign against Hamas,=94 Ya=92alon said. =93And it sends a m=
essage =

to countries and organizations amassing huge quantities of rockets and =

missiles=94 for terrorist purposes.

As Rafael works on the eighth battery in parallel to fast-tracked productio=
n =

of intercepting missiles, it is preparing to receive the first Defense =

Ministry procurement contract for US-based builds in support of Iron Dome.

The firm recently finalized an agreement making Raytheon its US partner in =

co-production of major components for the Iron Dome=92s Tamir intercepting =

missile.

The US firm will supply components through various subcontractors, =

government and industry sources said.

Congress conditioned more than $680 million in previously approved Iron Dom=
e =

procurement funding on a work-sharing agreement for US-based production. In =

a mid-May visit to Israel, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel noted that the =

US investment in Iron Dome was nearly $900 million.

Raytheon spokesman John Patterson referred questions to Israel=92s MoD, whi=
ch =

declined to comment.

Email: bopallrome@defensenews.com. =

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