Trials of the "Iron Dome" rocket interception system have been completed. In the past 48 hours, the Ministry of Defense and Rafael held a series of tests in which the system was for the first time confronted with simultaneous multiple threats, all of which it intercepted successfully.

The system will be handed over on schedule to the special anti-aircraft battalion set up by the Israel Air Force to operate it.

Minister of Defense Ehud Barak said that the successful series of trials represented a milestone in developing the Iron Dome system, which is meant to improve protection for residents of southern Israel against short-range rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 6, 2010

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