Israel’s air defense against Iran: How Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow are intercepting Iranian missiles
Israel's air defence relies on a three-tier shield to block Iranian attacks. The Iron Dome handles short-range rockets, David's Sling targets mid-range threats, and the Arrow 3 system destroys ballistic missiles outside the Earth's atmosphere.
Iron Dome: 70-km range
The Iron Dome is Israel's first line of defence, built to intercept short-range rockets and drones from 4 to 70 kilometres away. It uses radar to track incoming threats and only fires if the projectile is heading towards a populated area. Each interception costs around $50,000 (Rs 41.5 lakh).
David's Sling: 300-km reach
Bridging the gap between short and long-range systems, David's Sling intercepts tactical ballistic missiles fired from 40 to 300 kilometres away. It uses a precision hit-to-kill technology, destroying incoming threats through direct, high-speed impact rather than a traditional warhead explosion.
Arrow 2: 150-km range
The Arrow 2 system is designed to shoot down short-to-medium-range ballistic missiles before they strike. It operates within the Earth's atmosphere, using proximity-based detonation to destroy incoming Iranian missiles. Co-developed with the US, it adds a crucial high-altitude defensive layer.
Arrow 3: 2,400-km shield
Arrow 3 is Israel's top-tier interceptor, capable of destroying long-range ballistic missiles outside the Earth's atmosphere. With a range of up to 2,400 kilometres, it neutralises threats safely in space, preventing any non-conventional warheads from causing damage on the ground.
Stopping 200+ Iranian missiles
During recent escalations, Iran fired over 200 ballistic missiles at Israeli territory to overwhelm its radar and tracking limits. While a few projectiles penetrated the shield, the combined Arrow and David's Sling network intercepted over 90 per cent of these high-speed threats.
$2 million per interceptor
Defending against ballistic missiles is a massive financial burden. While Iranian missiles cost between $200,000 and $500,000 to produce, firing a single David's Sling or Arrow interceptor costs Israel upwards of $1 million to $2 million (Rs 8.3 crore to Rs 16.6 crore).
Iron Beam: $2 interceptions
To reduce the massive financial drain of missile interceptions, Israel is developing the Iron Beam, a high-power laser weapon. Designed to destroy drones and mortars for just a few dollars per shot, it will eventually work alongside the Iron Dome to provide a cheaper, virtually unlimited ammunition supply.
)
)
)
)
)