Posted on 07/13/2014 11:02:30 PM PDT by CW_Conservative
(SNIP)
In its escalating campaign against Hamas and other Gaza-based groups, the Israeli-developed and US-funded Iron Dome — with an estimated success rate of 90 percent — is demonstrating game-changing value against asymmetrical threats, Israeli officials say.
(SNIP)
“First and foremost, it saves lives and grants us expanded opportunities for managing the campaign against Hamas,” Ya’alon said. “And it sends a message to countries and organizations amassing huge quantities of rockets and missiles” for terrorist purposes.
(SNIP)
In a mid-May visit to Israel, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel noted that the US investment in Iron Dome was nearly $900 million.
(Excerpt) Read more at defencenews.in ...
bump
I wonder if Taiwan and South Korea are looking at acquiring these?
South Korea was, but they quickly and correctly determined that an Iron Dome type system that relies on missile interceptors like this would be quickly overwhelmed by the estimated 250,000 tubes and rails (everything from self-propelled guns down to mortars and Katushya trucks) that will unload on Seoul in the event of war.
In hindsight, putting the capital of South Korea there was probably a bad idea.
They are moving their government offices south, to a new capital-in-all-but-name. The biggest problem is that Seoul is still so close to the border.
Yeah, but unfortunately their major industrial center, which grew up around the capital, is still Seoul. That’s going to be a pain to move, if they even can.
Erm, why was my comment removed?
Vulgar language.
Idiotic post.
They’re nice enough to test the systems with their homes, businesses and lives.
Or think of them as crash test dummies. They aren’t expected to pay for the cars they wreck.
I’ve heard from many news interviews throughout Israel how grateful the people are to the US for the Iron Domes.
....”we could cease with the endless drama over there”...
Well that’s never going to happen unless the Arabs change their tune...and we know that won’t happen any time soon concerning Israel....they’ll always be lopping shells into Israel....and with it ‘all the drama’ the Arabs love to flaunt of their poor suffering woman and children.
And recently...with so many Muslims having transplanted themselves into other countries.....they’re on the streets already protesting what’s happening in Israel.
I have no empathy at all...hope Israel keeps taking out the trash as long as it takes..... and if Iron Domes assist them in doing that..I’m more than happy our tax dollars assist them doing so.
Sorry, I thought I had edited that out prior to posting.
Rephrase of my deleted post:
We initially had a partnership with them to produce laser weapons systems, the Tactical High Energy Laser and later the Mobile Tactical High Energy Laser. Israel was depending on us to do our part and produce a system they could purchase. It actually worked really well. Unfortunately, we cancelled the project and told the Israelis ‘tough luck.’
The Israelis, having been given the cold shoulder, went ahead and began developing an indigenous system for local missile defense. Our own alternate projects such as enhanced Patriots not having worked out terribly well, we bought into the Iron Dome development system - the only way the Israelis would let us have the technology. The US envisioned Iron Dome keeping our embassy and other facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan safe from similar mortar and rocket bombardment, which is what we needed.
Paying for real-world missile defense development doesn’t seem unreasonable. It’s probably cheaper than doing it in the lab / at White Sands Missile Range and similar.
Seems we are playing both sides in all conflicts
“Sorry, I thought I had edited that out prior to posting.’”
LOL. I learned at work that if I put in quips (never vulgar, but still unprofessional...like “so these geniuses decided to...”), it’s next to impossible to remove all of them. Some slip through, no matter how many times I review what I wrote.
Because they developed it, and WE wanted it, so WE negotiated to be a stakeholder. Stupid.
It was only when they asked for an additional 680 million that we insisted on getting something back in return.
That doesn't answer why they need someone else to pay for their security.
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