Israeli Navy: C-Dome, the navalised Iron Dome is ready for use

The Israeli navy has completed the integration of the C-Dome short-range defence weapon system with a successful interception test. In February of this year, the first shots were fired from on board the corvette "Magen", the Sa'ar 6-class ship. In the current test, an aerial target was engaged by the C-Dome system on board the second corvette to enter service, the "Oz", in a realistic scenario.

C-Dome
C-Dome is a navalised Iron Dome. Up to ten C-Dome interceptors can be preloaded in the vertical launch container. Iron Dome is known to be able to simultaneously detect and engage up to six approaching objects, including missiles, aircraft, drones and artillery shells, within a radius of seven kilometres. The manufacturer, Rafael Defence Systems, states that 1,500 interceptions have already been successfully carried out with Iron Dome.

The C-Dome weapon system is part of a multi-layered air defence system against aircraft and missiles. Four systems with different mission profiles are interlinked: Iron Dome, David's Sling, Arrow 2 and Arrow 3.

Trajectory of a short-range defence FK C-Dome. Photo: Rafael

The challenge
The Israel Defence Forces see themselves under constant potential missile threat due to the Iranian presence in Syria and Lebanon. Israel sees every missile that penetrates its defence network as a risk to its vital offshore platforms. The task of the Sa'ar 6 corvettes will be to protect them - as a seaward extension of the land- and air-based sensor and effector network at sea.

Sa'ar 6 class
"Magen", "Oz", "Atzmaut" and "Nitzachon" (transl.: shield, courage, independence, victory) are the four corvettes of the Sa'ar 6 class, whose construction contract with a volume of over 400 million euros was signed in May 2015 with the general contractor thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (tkMS) and which were realised in a joint venture with German Naval Yards Kiel. The type ship was handed over to the Israeli Navy in November 2020. The second ship followed in May 2021, followed by construction numbers three and four at the end of July 2021. One third of the four ships were financed by Germany. It should be noted that the electronic and weapons components were largely manufactured and integrated in Israel.

Source: Press release from Rafael - Advanced Defence Systems Ltd