Greece has shown interest in the Israeli air-defence system known as the “Iron Dome”, which has demonstrated incredible efficiency and accuracy in destroying incoming missiles from Gaza to Israel.
According to IDF data, the system has so far intercepted more than 2,500 incoming targets with a success rate of over 90%.
Having to deal with an ever-increasing fleet of Turkish UAVs already operating in the Aegean and SE Mediterranean, Greece is constantly on the lookout for alternative ways of dealing with them, given that their interception by both fighter jets and or through the possible use of Patriot missiles is understandably seen as completely unprofitable. It should be noted that Turkey is one of the largest UAV manufacturers in the world, having already exploited their advantages both on the internal front against the Kurds and in the recent conflicts in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh.
The system’s ability to neutralise UAV’s was what caught the attention of Greek military officials, who, in the context of the Greek-Israeli defence cooperation, had visited Israel about a year and a half ago, where, among other things, they were informed about the effectiveness of the Iron Dome.
Another iteration of this system, which is also being examined by the Greek defence forces, is related to the creation of smaller “Iron Domes” over almost every Aegean island. The ‘Iron Dome’ could be used to protect the Greek islands from rocket attacks or artillery fire coming from the opposite coasts of Asia Minor, in the event, of course, a Greek-Turkish conflict breaks out. The capabilities of the weapon are such that they ensure that even short-range missiles could be intercepted before they reach their target, thus protecting Greek military bases and civilians.
The system is an effective, truck-towed, multi-mission mobile air defence system developed by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems. The system has been developed to counter very short-range rockets and 155mm artillery shell threats with ranges of up to 70km. It can be operated in all weather conditions including fog, dust storm, low clouds and rain.
The all-weather air defence system protects the population and critical assets and can be strategically placed to reduce collateral damage. Iron Dome detects, analyses and intercepts a range of incoming threats, including C-RAM, precise guided missiles, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and air-breathing threats.
