Israel successfully tests Iron Dome defence system at sea

JERUSALEM – Israel has successfully tested its Iron Dome rocket defence system aboard naval ships for the first time.

Col. Ariel Shir, head of the Navy’s operational systems, said Wednesday the system shot down a volley of rockets during a drill recently. He said rockets were fired from the shore and all were detected by the radar system and then intercepted by the weapons system.

Shir said engineers made some software upgrades to make the system seaworthy. He said missions will include protecting Israel’s “strategic assets at sea” like its offshore gas platforms. He said the system can intercept threats while moving at high speeds.

The Iron Dome protects against short-range rockets, and intercepted hundreds of projectiles fired by Hamas and other Palestinian militants at Israeli towns during the 2014 Gaza war.