WarSclerotic

The Defense Ministry completed the deployment of the ninth Iron Dome battery on Tuesday. Throughout Operation Protective Edge the Israel Defense Forces has deployed the largest missile defense shield to date, with more Iron Dome batteries guarding the skies than ever before.

The seventh battery was assembled and deployed right at the beginning of the operation, launched on July 7. On Friday the Defense Ministry announced that the eighth battery was transferred to the Israeli Air Force — several months ahead of schedule. In recent days the eighth and nine batteries were deployed to deal with the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, which has reached further into Israel than ever before.

The new Iron Dome batteries have enhanced capabilities. So far in Operation Protective Edge, Iron Dome has had a 90 percent interception rate. During Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012 the missile interceptors recorded an 84 percent success rate. The increased interception rate is a result of improvements made to the systems and the experience gained by its operators.

The ninth Iron Dome battery was completed significantly ahead of schedule. In a special operation, led by the Defense Ministry’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, engineers and technicians from the defense industries worked alongside air force personnel since the onset of Operation Protective Edge and completed the deployment of three Iron Dome batteries.

The Defense Ministry lauded the technological and organizational achievement as proof of the defense establishment’s ability to adapt to situations in the region.

The U.S. Senate approved $351 million in continued funding for the development and manufacturing of Iron Dome batteries.