The US Marines completed its first live-fire training exercise utilizing Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system, Israel’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
“The U.S. Marines’ live-fire exercise further proves the Iron Dome interceptor’s ability and ground infrastructure to quickly and efficiently integrate with any relevant air defense system and intercept various aerial threats in complex scenarios,” said Moshe Patel, director of the ministry’s Israel’s Missile Defense Organization.
A central objective of the training was to evaluate the mobile launcher, specifically developed to meet the Marine Corps’ operational needs. The system displayed impressive continuous launch capabilities, further validating the Iron Dome’s adaptability for diverse battlefield environments. The training capped off a full developmental program and series of tests, part of a larger initiative by the Marine Corps to assess this new medium-range intercept capability prototype, known as the Medium-Range Intercept Capability system.
The Tamir interceptor is engineered to address a broad spectrum of aerial threats, from cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles to various types of rockets, artillery, and mortars.
The Iron Dome reportedly has an interception success rate of 85-90%, although some sources claim it reaches up to 95% in certain engagements. It uses radar and computer systems to track incoming threats and launch interceptors only if a projectile is expected to hit a populated area.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, based in Haifa, led the interceptor’s development, with Raytheon serving as the prime contractor to adapt it specifically for Marine Corps use.
“The Iron Dome continues to prove itself as an advanced and unique air defense system, with thousands of successful interceptions in complex operational scenarios. The fruitful cooperation with the U.S. Marine Corps, together with the partnership with Raytheon, demonstrates Rafael’s ability to provide unique and customized solutions that deliver effective and precise defense against various aerial threats,” said Shlomo Toaff, Senior VP and Head of Air Defense Systems Division at Rafael.
The U.S. has provided billions in funding to help develop, procure, and maintain Iron Dome batteries as part of a broader US-Israel defense collaboration.
Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry said on Monday that the laser-based Iron Beam defense system is expected to become operational in mid-2025 as it announced the signing of a 2 billion-shekel ($536 million) order to expand its production. The plan is to integrate Iron Beam into the Iron Dome system. An algorithm will determine whether to shoot down aerial threats with the laser or an interceptor.
