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'David's Sling' and 'Arrow' anti-missile systems: How Israel defeated Iran's attack

In this photo released by Israel Aircraft Industries, an Arrow II anti-missile missile is successfully launched December 2, 2005 from an unnamed military base in central Israel. (IAI via Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) — Israel’s layered missile defense system was once again put to the test on Tuesday as Iran launched more than 200 ballistic missiles at Israel.

The Iron Dome air defense system garners most of the attention because it is used to bring down frequent incoming unguided short-range rocket systems fired at Israel by both Hezbollah and Hamas.

But targeting guided ballistic missiles that travel at higher altitudes, longer ranges, and faster speeds requires different intercept systems that are specifically designed to bring down ballistic missiles.

David’s Sling and the Arrow 2 and 3 are Israel’s two other home-grown air defense systems that are capable of bringing down medium-range and long-range ballistic missiles.

Both systems along with the Iron Dome were utilized during Iran’s attack on Israel last April when 99% of the more than 300 drones, ballistic and cruise missiles launched by Iran were intercepted.

David’s Sling is designed to target medium and long-range missiles and has a range of 25 to 186 miles and produced by Raytheon and Rafael, the same Israel defense contractor that makes the Iron Dome.

The two-stage missile has no warhead, it destroys incoming ballistic missiles with the sheer force of impact, making it what is known as a “hit- to- kill” which has been characterized as hitting a bullet with a bullet given the high velocities involved.

The Arrow 2 and 3 systems are capable of handling much longer-range missiles like Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM’s) that will likely travel at altitudes beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, a capability similar to the U.S. military’s THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) air defense system.

The Arrow 3 system is believed to have a range of 1,500 miles and can reach an altitude of 100 miles.

The Arrow 2 is designed to explode near a missile to bring down an incoming missile, but the Arrow 3 is a hit-to-kill missile.

The Arrow 2 system was used most recently to shoot down long-range missiles fired at Israel by the Houthi militant group in Yemen, supposedly in support of Hamas and Hezbollah in their wars with Israel.