Israel’s Arrow Defense Missile System Compared to Iron Dome

For the first time since the war broke out on October 7, the Israeli military said that it used its Arrow missile defense system to intercept a surface-to-surface missile fired toward its territory.

According to a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) who spoke with Reuters Tuesday, the missile had been shot from the direction of the Red Sea. A separate aerial attack was also intercepted by IDF fighter jets off the Red Sea city of Eilat, read the report. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group said it launched a “large number” of drones and ballistic missiles toward Israel Tuesday, but there were no reports of any air strikes reaching Israeli territory.

Since the surprise attack by the Palestinian militant group Hama on October 7, Israel has declared itself at war, launching its heaviest-ever air strikes on the Gaza Strip and ordering a ground invasion of the region. In response, militias in nearby countries have said that they are prepared to join in the fight, if necessary, in support of the Palestinian people.

As Israel looks to defend itself amid the escalated fighting, the country’s Iron Dome—a mobile aerial defense system designed to defend against incoming short-range weapons—has been working overtime against Hamas’ short-range attacks. But the Arrow defense system, which showed its strength on Tuesday, could offer increased protection against long-range attacks.

What is the Arrow System?

The Arrow Weapon System (AWS), according to Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), is the world’s first stand-alone anti-tactical ballistic missile defense system. The system includes both Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 interceptors, making it capable of intercepting short, medium and long-range ballistic missiles.

The Arrow 2 interceptor, which was designed by the IAI, has one battery deployed near Tel Aviv and another stationed south of Haifa, reported Airforce Technology. The system is designed to intercept short and medium-range missiles and has conducted over a dozen successful tests since being deployed in 2000 and 2004.

The Arrow 3 interceptor, according to Airforce Technology, was co-developed by the American defense company Boeing and the IAI and provides greater speed and range than the Arrow 2 system. The Arrow 3 is an exo-atmospheric missile defense system, meaning it is designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside of the Earth’s atmosphere. The first successful test of the Arrow 3 system was conducted in 2013, followed by a second flight test completed by Israel’s Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency in January 2014.

Comparing Arrow to the Iron Dome

Israel’s aerial defense system is made up of several layers. While the Iron Dome works against smaller threats, the Arrow systems can intercept larger attacks, according to a report by Insider. The two are also complimented by the country’s David’s Sling defense system, which serves as Israel’s “middle layer” of air defense.

Uzi Rubin, an Israeli engineer who oversaw the development of the Arrow system, told The Jerusalem Post that the AWS was developed to defend against more difficult targets than the Iron Dome can. Rubin also told the outlet that Tuesday’s successful defense against a ballistic missile sends a message to neighboring countries that Israel is prepared to defend itself against even sophisticated, long-range weapons.

Still, Rubin warned that Israel’s enemies could look to overwhelm the Arrow system, similar to how Hamas has overwhelmed the Iron Dome capabilities in the past. The Jerusalem Post noted that while shorter-range missiles that get past the Dome would inflict limited damage, a ballistic missile that successfully gets pat IDF’s defenses could cause far more devastation.

Newsweek reached out to the Israeli Ministry of Defense via email Tuesday evening for comment.