Israel is running low on its Arrow defensive interceptors, The Wall Street Journal reported, a shortfall that could undermine the country’s ability to shoot down long‑range ballistic missiles from Iran.
Citing an anonymous U.S. official, the Journal said Washington has been aware of the capacity problem for months and has moved to bolster Israel’s defences with additional systems on land, at sea and in the air. The Israeli military declined to comment on “matters related to munitions.”
Israel’s comprehensive air defence network has proven crucial in thwarting recent Iranian missile salvos. At its core lies the Iron Dome system—ten mobile batteries strategically deployed near population centres.
Each battery’s radar tracks incoming rockets, calculating their trajectory to determine whether they threaten urban areas. If so, a launcher unleashes one of its 20 interceptor missiles to neutralize the threat mid‑air.
Israel air defence system explained—Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow
Beyond short‑range rockets, Israel employs David’s Sling to counter medium‑range missiles flying between 40 km and 300 km. Developed jointly with the United States, David’s Sling bridges the gap between Iron Dome and longer‑range systems, ensuring coverage against more powerful projectiles.
For long‑range ballistic missiles—some with ranges up to 2,400 km—Israel relies on the Arrow family of interceptors. Arrow batteries use advanced radars and hit‑to‑kill technology to destroy high‑altitude threats before they can re‑enter the atmosphere.
Together, these layered defences—Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow—form a shield-in-depth that enhances Israel’s resilience, though recent attacks have shown that no system is infallible when swarmed by large barrages.
Israel’s air defence architecture is built around a multi‑layered shield designed to detect, track, and neutralize threats across a wide spectrum of ranges and trajectories.
At its foundation lies the Iron Dome, a highly mobile, short‑range system covering threats from approximately 4 km up to 70 km.
Each Iron Dome battery comprises a radar, a battle‑management and weapon‑control (BMC) unit, and multiple launchers loaded with Tamir interceptor missiles.
The system’s radar continuously scans for incoming rockets and artillery shells, while the control centre computes their flight paths in real time. If a projectile is deemed likely to strike a populated area, one or two Tamir interceptors are fired to destroy it mid‑air, minimizing collateral damage on the ground.
Sitting above Iron Dome in Israel’s defensive umbrella is David’s Sling, which bridges the gap between short‑range rockets and high‑end ballistic threats. With an engagement envelope of 40 km to 300 km, David’s Sling is tasked with intercepting short‑range ballistic missiles, large‑calibre rockets, and cruise missiles.
Its core weapons are the Stunner interceptor missiles, launched from a vertical firing unit and guided by advanced radar and electro‑optical seekers. An operations centre coordinates the system’s response, ensuring that David’s Sling activates only when the threat exceeds Iron Dome’s reach but falls short of the long‑range ballistic domain.
For threats that lie beyond 300 km—such as medium‑ and long‑range ballistic missiles—Israel relies on the Arrow family of interceptors. Arrow 2 provides high‑altitude interception of medium‑range rockets, while the newer Arrow 3 is optimized for exo‑atmospheric engagements against long‑range missiles, potentially in their space‑flight phase. Each Arrow battery incorporates its own dedicated radar, launcher, and a sophisticated command and battle‑management centre. By engaging threats at very high altitudes, Arrow not only protects critical infrastructure but also reduces the risk of debris falling on populated areas.
Together, these three systems—Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow—form a cohesive, “defence‐in‐depth” strategy. Incoming threats are automatically handed off from one layer to the next based on range, trajectory, and severity, creating overlapping zones of protection. This integration maximizes interception rates and ensures that, even during heavy bombardment or salvo attacks, Israel retains a credible and resilient defensive posture.
