IAI’s Arrow 3 missile defense system could play a role in the Golden Dome, although defending the vastness of the United States from missile attack is a daunting technical challenge.
President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome initiative has caught the attention of leading defense manufacturers across the globe. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel’s major aerospace manufacturer, is specifically waiting for confirmation regarding its own potential role in building the missile shield architecture.
IAI is responsible for manufacturing a litany of Israeli military products. The Israeli manufacturer is hoping that its Arrow interceptor missile technology could specifically play a role in Trump’s Golden Dome project. According to IAI chief executive Boaz Levy, the company believes that with some “adaptation,” the Arrow 3 technology could be used for both land-based capabilities in addition to being able to meet the requirements of “kill vehicles” orbiting earth in space. Considering the Arrow 3’s successful interceptions of Houthi and Iranian-launched ballistic missiles over the last year, IAI is confident its co-development system with the US would benefit the Golden Dome.
Introducing the “Arrow 3” Missile Defense System
Israel’s multi-tiered air defense strategy has a proven track record. The Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow 2/3 systems have together protected the nation from tens of thousands of enemy-launched barrages over the last decade alone.
Arrow 2/3 functions as the highest tier in this three-pronged apparatus. The US-Israeli designed missile defense interceptor is tasked with the role of defeating medium-range ballistic missiles. Since its introduction to service back in 2017, the system has remained a pillar in Israel’s defense. Arrow 3 is the newer iteration of the two, providing exo-atmospheric interception of ballistic missiles.
Notably, Arrow 3 is capable of intercepting intercontinental ballistic missiles carrying both nuclear and conventional weapons. This two-stage, solid-fueled booster possesses an estimated flyout range of up to 2,400 km (1,491 mi). Working alongside the Iron Dome and David’s Sling systems, Arrow 3 remains a key player in Israel’s defensive strategy—and could play a similar role for the United States.
What Are Trump’s Future Plans for the “Golden Dome”?
The White House’s “Golden Dome” initiative was clearly named to mimic Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system. Designed to thwart short-range rockets and other projectiles at distances up to 43 miles away, the Iron Dome has seen particular success protecting the Jewish state from barrages launched from Gaza and Lebanon.
Yet while the technical achievements of the Iron Dome are remarkable, Israel is only around the size of New Jersey—and the challenge of defending the United States against its own missile threats is infinitely more complex. Nevertheless, the Trump administration wants to pursue an American-based Golden Dome system to protect from ICBM attack by Iran, China, Russia, North Korea, and potentially other adversaries.
Upon announcing the new project, President Trump noted, “Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world and even if they are launched from space, and we will have the best system ever built. As you know, we helped Israel with theirs and it was very successful, and now we have technology that’s even far advanced from that, but including hypersonic missiles, ballistic missiles and advanced cruise missiles, all of them will be knocked out of the air.”
Whether or not the Golden Dome achieves the funds and technology required to function as planned remains up in the air.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: Shutterstock / Arnold O. A. Pinto.
