The Israeli Navy Announces That C-DOME Has Completed Its Final Stage of Operationalization
After a successful interception test last month, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems announced that the C-Dome system, the naval version of the Iron Dome air defense missile system, is now operational. According to the company, the system was installed on the INS ‘Oz’ corvette, the second of four advanced missile corvettes delivered to the Israeli Navy in the last two years and neutralized a ship-launched missile during the final test in October carried out with the Israeli Navy and the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), affiliated with the Ministry of Defense.
“The C-DOME system expertly identified threats and successfully intercepted them by launching IRON DOME interceptors towards them from the sea,” said Moshe Patel, Head of IMDO at the Israeli Ministry of Defense, of the test in question. “C-DOME, the naval configuration of the IRON DOME, promotes further operational flexibility and has become a part of the State of Israel’s multi-tiered missile and air defense array.”
According to Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, the activation of the C-DOME system is a significant milestone in the State of Israel’s maritime defense capabilities. Gantz congratulated the Israeli Navy, IMDO which is affiliated with the Ministry of Defense, and Rafael for their cooperation and determination, saying, “Israel is continuing to build and strengthen its defense and attack capabilities – and will continue to keep its defensive edge in the area, protect its assets, its infrastructure and first and foremost – the lives and safety of the citizens of Israel.”
In February of this year, the Israeli Navy conducted the first live fire test of the C-Dome Air Defense System. During the test, the C-Dome system integrated into the INS Magen corvette, the first of four Sa’ar 6 corvettes produced for the Israeli Navy by the German company Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, successfully neutralized multiple targets, such as rockets, cruise missiles, and UAVs. Furthermore, the Israeli Navy recently announced that the country’s newest generation anti-ship missile, Gabriel V, had been successfully tested. The Sa’ar 6 corvettes, into which the C-Dome air defense system was integrated, were also used for the Gabriel missile launch test.
The C-Dome system is based on the Iron Dome defense system and was developed in collaboration with Rafael Defense and affiliated Israeli Ministry of Defense organizations. The system, which was first displayed at Euronaval 2014, was designed to defend warships against a wide range of modern threats. The system can neutralize short-range rockets and artillery munitions fired from 4 to 70 kilometers away. According to Rafael, C-DOME is made up of three components: TAMIR interceptors, a modular Vertical-Launch Unit (VLU), and a Command & Control (C2) component. The system eliminates the need for a specialized radar by detecting and tracking threats using the vessel’s surveillance radar.
The C-Dome system, which will be integrated into Sa’ar 6-class corvettes, the country’s most advanced ship to date, will be used as a complement to the Barak 8 long-range air defense missiles in a variety of missions, including the protection of strategic assets and the Exclusive Economic Zone, and the maintenance of the State of Israel’s regional naval superiority. Apart from the C-Dome system and Barak 8 air defense missiles, the Sa’ar 6 class corvettes protecting Israel’s gas and oil refineries in the Mediterranean from attacks by Iran-backed Hezbollah and Hamas terrorist organizations are outfitted with 1 Oto Melara 76mm naval gun for surface warfare, 16 Fifth Generation Gabriel V anti-ship missiles, and 2 torpedo tubes for anti-submarine warfare.