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| Israel Successfully Tests C-Dome, a Naval Version of the Iron Dome Missile System |
Tel Aviv - The Israeli Navy successfully conducted a C-Dome interception test based on the Sa'ar 6 INS Oz warship. It was the Marine version of the Iron Dome defensive weapon. This success marks a significant milestone in enhancing the capabilities of the new Magen class corvettes. The interception test involved the Israeli Navy, the Ministry of Defense's Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems as prime contractor and developer, Israel Aerospace Industries' Elta as a radar manufacturer, and mPrest as a c2 manufacturer.
These tests simulate real threats and include successful system target detection and interception in challenging scenarios. "The C-Dome system expertly identified the threat and successfully intercepted it by launching the Iron Dome interceptor at them from the sea," said IMDO chief Moshe Patel.
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What is the C-Dome Defense System?
The C-Dome is an advanced configuration of the Iron Dome air defense system and is operated from the four Sa'ar 6 Magen class corvettes that the Navy has received in the last two years. The Sa'ar 6 missile ships are used to maintain strategic infrastructure such as natural gas rigs, and protect commercial shipping lanes that carry 98% of Israeli imports. The IDF has decided not to place the Iron Dome battery on the oil rig for safety reasons, and instead, the C-Dome has been placed on Sa'ar 6.
According to the MoD, the operational system is created through the integration of several different systems, taking full advantage of the operational capabilities that seafarers will use. “The operationalization of the system is an important milestone in increasing the corvettes' capabilities,” the ministry said in a statement, Friday (18/11/2022). "The C-Dome is a significant addition to the Israeli Navy's defense capabilities in a variety of missions, including guarding strategic defense assets, the Exclusive Economic Zone, and maintaining the State of Israel's regional maritime advantage."
Israel, which relies heavily on maritime security, is continuously improving the technology behind the country's anti-missile system to expand and enhance the system's performance capabilities in the face of an unprecedented array of threats. Rear Admiral Guy Goldfarb, Deputy Commander-in-Chief and Chief of the Naval Staff, said the maritime arena had changed, leaving the Navy with more responsibilities and a broad range of operational tasks.
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The C-Dome is another layer of Israel's multi-tiered missile and air defense array that has four layers of operational defense: Iron Dome, David's Sling, Arrow 2 and Arrow 3. Together, the systems provide Israel with a protective umbrella against the threats posed. by the short- and medium-range missiles used by Hezbollah and militia groups in Gaza, as well as the threat posed by Iran's more advanced long-range ballistic missiles.
"The operationalization of the C-Dome system is an important milestone for the defense capabilities of the Israeli State Navy," Defense Minister Benny Gantz said, as quoted by the Jerusalem Post. "Israel continues to build and strengthen its defense and strike capabilities and will continue to maintain its defensive advantage in the region, protecting its assets, its infrastructure, and first and foremost the lives and safety of Israeli citizens."
According to Patel, the C-Dome allows for further operational flexibility. "The C-Dome is the first operational naval defense solution of its kind and the test on the Israeli Navy's Sa'ar 6 corvette serves as a monumental achievement in the development of the system," added Ran Gozali, executive vice president and head of Rafael's Land and Naval Systems Directorate. . Iron Dome, Patel said, completed a series of "highly successful" tests last year, both in Israel and in the United States, as part of interception tests conducted by the Marine Corps and the US Army.