The original was taken from a colleague of olegranovsky in the first case of successful combat use of the David's Sling missile defense system, 10.05.23On 10.05.23, during the second day of Operation Shield and Arrow (Magen u-Hetz), militants of the military wing of the Islamic Jihad launched massive rocket attacks on Israel.
Including the greater Tel Aviv area was also shelled (14:18, 14:19, 14:28, 14:57). From the northern border of the Gaza Strip to Tel Aviv is about 56 km, but if you shoot heavier missiles from the center of the Sector, it is 70 km or more, i.e. already on the verge of the ability to intercept the Iron Dome missile defense system (4.5-70 km in target missile range). However, not everything is clear here either, since the system is constantly being upgraded and the developers hope to expand the interception capabilities from 4 to 250 km (again, by the range of the target missile; the maximum range of the Tamir interceptor missile of the Iron Dome itself (LCD) has not been published, presumably 10 km or a little more).
One way or another, but so far the LCD has coped with interceptions by launching at Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. But today [May 10, 2023] another air defense/missile defense system was used against one of the missiles launched in the center of the country - "David's Sling" (PD, in the past it was also called "Magic Wand") [aka David' Sling ]. The interception was successful. As far as it is known, 1 interceptor missile was used.
Let me remind you that the PD (40-300 km in target missile range) was adopted in 2016, at the same time the 66th Air Defense Division operating this system was formed. 02.04.17 The system and the 66th Division were declared combat ready. And already on 07/23/18, the first (and until today the only) case of the combat use of PD occurred, although then it was unsuccessful. I wrote about this in a separate article.Each PD interceptor missile costs $1 million, compared to 50 thousand for Tamir.
As a result, the use of PD is justified in cases where the LCD is not able to intercept or is not in the right place. Nevertheless, when calculating costs, you should always remember about possible damage. Not to mention the possible victims, compensation to apartment owners for the loss of property can amount to much larger amounts than the cost of one or even several PD missiles.
Lieutenant Colonel Ravital Barazani, commander of the 66th Division.PD on tests.
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