Screengrab. Source: the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
The ship mounted version of the Iron Dome air-defense system, dubbed C-Dome, has officially entered service with the Israeli Navy.
In a joint statement released on November 17, the Israeli Ministry of Defense and Navy said that the system entered service after a successful test last month aboard the Sa’ar 6-class corvette INS Oz, simulating threats the system is likely to face at sea. The test was conducted off the coast of central Israel, with representatives from the navy and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems taking part.
“The test simulated real threats and included the system’s successful detection and interception of targets in challenging scenarios,” the ministry said, adding that the test represented a “significant milestone in enhancing the capabilities of the corvettes” and marked “the final stage of the naval interception system’s operationalization.”
The C-Dome system can be seen intercepting a missile launched from another ship during the test in a video that was released by the ministry.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said praising the successful test that the C-Dome system “expertly identified threats and successfully intercepted them.”
“C-Dome, the naval configuration of the Iron Dome, promotes further operational flexibility and has become a part of the State of Israel’s multi-tiered missile and air defense array,” the minister added.
Each Sa’ar 6-class corvette is equipped with 40 vertical launch cells for C-Dome interceptors. The corvettes will guard Israel’s strategic infrastructure, like the natural gas rigs, and protect the commercial shipping lanes which bring in 98% of the country’s imports.
The C-Dome adds another layer of Israel’s air defense network that has four operational defense systems: Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow 2, and Arrow 3. The network was built to stop all aerial threats from Israel’s foes, including rockets, drones and ballistic missiles.
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