The U.S. Marine Corps has completed its first live-fire training exercise using an air defense system incorporating Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
The drill was carried out successfully, featuring a radar-based system and an American command-and-control center, alongside the Iron Dome interceptor missile and a mobile launcher developed by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in collaboration with the U.S. company Raytheon.
During the exercise, the Marines operated the system in full, intercepting targets within the area. Additionally, the exercise evaluated the continuous launch capability of Iron Dome interceptors from a mobile launcher designed specifically for the U.S. Marine Corps.
The Defense Ministry said in a statement that this exercise was part of a development and procurement project headed by the U.S. Marines to test a prototype for a new medium-range interception system.
The Iron Dome interceptor, known as the "Tamir," which was used in the exercise, can intercept cruise missiles, drones, and a variety of rockets, shells and mortars. "The live-fire exercise’s success represents a key milestone toward operational deployment of the Marines' first prototype battery," the ministry said in a statement.
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