Israel Prepares to Move on Syria

[besilarius]

Think that Israel has also developed another system besides Iron Dome which gives longer range to identify incoming missiles.
They're really trying to develop multiple systems, making it harder to confuse their defences, and provide greater depth.

[Staggerwing]

They're also developing the 'Arrow' and 'David's Sling' systems designed for heavier stuff like scuds and Iranian Shababs (sp?). The Arrow may be operational already. Most of these programs are joint efforts along with  companies such as Raytheon and Boeing. The problem with these systems against small scale rockets (Quassam of Kaytusha) is that they are vulnerable to 'swarming' attacks when a huge number of Quassams or similar rockets are launched the targeting systems can be overwhelmed and the cost ratio between Palestinian rocket and Iron Dome interceptor is on the order of 1:100 so one swarm attack can cost the IDF two or three million dollars while not hitting all incoming ordinance. Ultimately, directed energy countermeasures will prove to be the best long term solution but the funding and development of these systems is very haphazard. I'm betting that Defense contractors see a lot more money if the IDF (and US Military as well) expends lots of very expensive one-use-per-shot countermeasures than if a battery of lasers destroys the rockets at lightspeed using nothing but high energy.

[OJsDad]

...using nothing but high energy.

There's the problem with the current US administration funding such projects, they cannot get green energy solutions to work, so instead of adding more ghg's to the atmosphere to save innocent civilians from terror attacks, they will stop the research.    :o