Israel upgrades Iron Dome’s aerial defense capabilities after successful tests

Israel has upgraded its Iron Dome aerial defense system’s capabilities after conducting multiple successful tests, the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) confirmed. 

"This latest round of testing has validated new capabilities that will help us better protect Israel and its people," IMDO Director Moshe Patel announced. IMODO, which is a unit within the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D), conducted the tests in cooperation with the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which is one of Israel’s leading defense companies and a global technology leader within the field of rockets, drones and missiles. 

Patel emphasized the Iron Dome’s critical role in intercepting missiles during the ongoing war. 

“Throughout this war, we’ve seen that the Iron Dome remains a critical asset even when facing intense barrages. The IMDO is continuously enhancing the system, even while operating under wartime conditions. This latest round of testing has validated new capabilities that will help us better protect Israel and its people,” the senior official assessed. 

Rafael CEO Yoav Tourgeman hailed the success of the aerial defense system, which he attributed to continuous improvements based on empirical experience. 

“Even after more than a decade of operational service, the Iron Dome continues to play a vital role in Israel’s security. We are proud to report that this advanced test campaign was the largest and most significant conducted to date, successfully incorporating new capabilities to address future threats.”

The Iron Dome system is designed to intercept short-range missiles from distances of 4 to 70 kilometers (2–43 miles) and has played a central role in Israel’s aerial defense capabilities against the Iranian-backed terrorist militias Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Israeli-developed Iron Dome system has been partially financed by the United States, which views it as a strategic asset in the defense against terrorist regimes. 

In January, U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to “immediately” begin the construction of an American Iron Dome system. “Here’s what we need: to immediately begin the construction of a state-of-the-art Iron Dome missile defense shield, which will be able to protect Americans,” he stated.

Trump hailed the Israeli aerial defense system’s effectiveness in intercepting and neutralizing the overwhelming majority of enemy missiles and rockets. “You see that with Israel, where out of 319 rockets they knocked down just about every one of them,” he declared. 

The Iron Dome system is part of Israel’s multilayered aerial defense systems, which also includes the David Sling system, which is designed to intercept medium to long-range missiles at distances from 40 to 300 kilometers (25 to 190 miles).

Israel and the United States have also jointly developed the Arrow aerial defense system, which is designed to intercept and neutralize long-range ballistic missiles.

In October 2023, the Arrow aerial defense system, for the first time, successfully intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the Iran-backed Yemen-based Houthi terrorist militia. It has since then played a critical role in intercepting the many ballistic missiles fired at Israel by Iran and its Houthi proxy. 

In 2024, Germany and Israel signed a $3.6 billion military deal concerning the delivery of the Israeli Arrow defense system to Germany in 2025. It is officially the first time that the Israeli-developed aerial defense system will be deployed outside the Jewish state.