US will no longer buy Iron Dome missile system from Israel

The US has decided not to buy any more Iron Dome missile defence systems from Israel because they cannot be integrated into American-made air defences.

“We believe we cannot integrate them into our air defence system based on some inter-operability challenges, some cyber challenges and some other challenges,” General Mike Murray, head of Army Futures Command, said last Thursday.

Speaking to the House Armed Service tactical air and land forces subcommittee, he explained that many problems had been identified, including cyber vulnerabilities. Reports, however, have claimed that Israel has refused to hand over source codes for the technology.

Last year, the US Army purchased two batteries from Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, which included 12 launchers, two sensors, two battlement management centres and 240 interceptors, at a cost of $1.5 billion.

The fully mobile system carries ten kilogrammes of explosives and can intercept an incoming projectile from four to 70 kilometres away.

READ: Israel bars entry to foreigners over coronavirus