[Jerusalem Post] Yaakov Katz - A rapid-fire cannon called the C-RAM (Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar), currently used by the Americans to protect the Green Zone in Baghdad, reportedly has a 70-80 percent success rate in intercepting incoming shells and rockets. The C-RAM, manufactured by Raytheon, is a variant of the Vulcan Phalanx, a radar-controlled 20mm cannon designed to defend navy ships from missiles. Uzi Rubin, a missile expert and a former director of Israel's Missile Defense Agency, said Sunday that the C-RAM was capable of providing medium-level protection for places such as Sderot. According to Rubin, four C-RAM systems - at a cost of $15 million a piece - could effectively defend Sderot from Kassam rockets. While also calling for the development of a laser-based system to defend Sderot in the long term, Rubin said the C-RAM - which is capable of protecting isolated military outposts and installations - could provide an effective defense in Sderot.
2007-06-04 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive