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Israel's Air Defense Performance

(Institute for National Security Studies-Tel Aviv University) Dr. Yehoshua Kalisky - The IDF has demonstrated outstanding performance in defending against simultaneous attacks by hundreds of ballistic missiles and UAV swarms. The destructive potential of Iranian ballistic missiles is immense. Most have warheads weighing 500 kg. or more. Since they travel along a trajectory above the atmosphere, due to their high velocity during descent they accumulate significant kinetic energy and upon impact generate blast waves and shockwaves that cause major damage in addition to the explosive payload. Israel's multilayered air defense systems are synchronized with a command and control system that determines the optimal interceptor and prioritizes targeting hostile threats with the highest potential to harm strategic assets or civilian population centers. The interception systems' success rate against hundreds of explosive-laden ballistic missiles stands at 95%. Moreover, Israel's air defense forces have demonstrated an ability to efficiently block the penetration of UAV swarms or individual drones. It is impossible to achieve a completely hermetic aerial defense against simultaneous barrages of UAVs and ballistic missiles. Indeed, the Iranian attacks have resulted in casualties and significant property damage. However, far greater destruction was prevented and many lives were saved thanks to the effectiveness of the defense systems and the public's adherence to Home Front Command guidelines. The writer is a senior researcher at INSS.
2025-06-16 00:00:00
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