President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order to start planning for an “Iron Dome” air defense system for the United States, like the one that Israel has used to intercept thousands of rockets.
Trump ordered the defense secretary to submit within 60 days an implementation plan for the “next-generation missile defense shield” designed to guard against ballistic, hypersonic and advanced cruise missiles, including by the development of space-based interceptors.
During the 2024 election campaign Trump repeatedly promised to build a version of Israel’s Iron Dome system for the United States. However, he ignored the fact that the system is designed for short-range threats, making it ill-suited to defending against intercontinental missiles that are the main danger to the United States.
“Over the past 40 years, rather than lessening, the threat from next-generation strategic weapons has become more intense and complex,” Monday’s executive order said, citing unnamed adversaries’ development of missile launch capabilities. Trump had earlier told a Republican congressional retreat in Miami that the system would be built in the United States.
Israel has used its “Iron Dome” system to shoot down rockets fired by its regional foes Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon during the war sparked by the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. “They knock down just about every one of them,” Trump said at the Miami meeting. “So I think the United States is entitled to that.”
The president signed several other orders related to the US military on Monday, including one setting the path for transgender people to be banned from the armed forces.
‘Iron Dome’ developed by Israel
The Iron Dome is a short-range air defense system developed by Israel to intercept and destroy incoming rockets, artillery shells, and drones. While Israel is the primary operator of the Iron Dome, a few other countries have acquired or shown interest in the system. Here’s a list of countries associated with the Iron Dome:
1. Israel:
- The system was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and became operational in 2011.
- Israel remains the primary user and operator of the Iron Dome.
2. United States:
- The U.S. has purchased two Iron Dome batteries for evaluation and limited operational use.
- The U.S. Army is testing the system to integrate it into its missile defense network.
- Discussions about broader deployment in the U.S. military are ongoing.
3. Azerbaijan:
- Reports suggest that Azerbaijan has purchased the Iron Dome from Israel to bolster its air defense capabilities, though details are not fully disclosed.
4. Romania:
- Romania has expressed interest in acquiring the Iron Dome system to strengthen its air defense.
5. India:
- India has shown interest in the Iron Dome system as part of its defense cooperation with Israel.
- While no formal purchase has been confirmed, India has considered the system for countering regional threats.
6. Cyprus:
- In early 2023, Cyprus reportedly signed a deal to acquire the Iron Dome for its defense needs.
Other Countries with Potential Interest:
- South Korea, Singapore, and several Gulf states have explored or expressed interest in the Iron Dome for their defense.
Currently, Israel and the U.S. are confirmed operators, with other countries like Azerbaijan, Romania, and Cyprus either acquiring or negotiating deals for the system.
