The Israeli Air Defense Command () is the Israeli Air and Space Force unit responsible for the surface front of Israels air defense, complementing the air defense provided by Fighter squadrons. Initially a part of the IDF

Artillery Corps Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

, since 1970 the Air Defense Command has been subordinate to the Israeli Air and Space Force.

History

During the

1948 Arab–Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, also known as the First Arab–Israeli War, followed the 1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine, civil war in Mandatory Palestine as the second and final stage of the 1948 Palestine war. The civil war becam ...

, the Air Defense Network was part of the Artillery Corps, primarily relying on machine guns. During the 1960s, 40 mm

radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...

-guided anti-aircraft guns were introduced, and in 1965,

MIM-23 Hawk The Raytheon MIM-23 HAWK ("Homing All the Way Killer") is an American medium-range surface-to-air missile. It was designed to be a much more mobile counterpart to the MIM-14 Nike Hercules, trading off range and altitude capability for a much sm ...

surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-ai ...

s. The latter were operated by the Air Force's surface-to-air units. In the 1970s, the entire Air Defense Network was merged with the

Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...

. The Air Defense Command operated many

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

-developed short-range system such as the

, the MIM-72 Chaparral and M163 VADS ("Hovet"). The Air Defense Command scored world premier interceptions with most of these systems, mainly against the

Syrian Air Force The Syrian Air Force () is the air force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It was established in 1948, and first saw action in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Under Ba'athist Syria until December 8, 2024, it was known as the Syrian Arab Air Forc ...

. Due to increasing rocket threat from the

Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip, also known simply as Gaza, is a small territory located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea; it is the smaller of the two Palestinian territories, the other being the West Bank, that make up the State of Palestine. I ...

, Israeli-developed

Iron Dome Iron Dome () is an Israeli mobile all-weather air defense system, developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries. The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired f ...

C-RAM system became operational in 2011. In 2011 the system scored its first interception and since then intercepted hundreds of short- and medium-ranged rockets, fired by

Hamas The Islamic Resistance Movement, abbreviated Hamas (the Arabic acronym from ), is a Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islam, Sunni Islamism, Islamist political organisation with a military wing, the Qassam Brigades. It has Gaza Strip under Hama ...

from the Gaza Strip, gaining world acclaim for its effectiveness and success. On 23 September 2014, a Syrian Air Force

Su-24 The Sukhoi Su-24 (NATO reporting name: Fencer) is a supersonic, night fighter, all-weather tactical bomber developed in the Soviet Union. The aircraft has a variable-sweep wing, Twinjet, twin engines and a side-by-side seating arrangement for it ...

was shot down by an IAF

MIM-104 Patriot The MIM-104 Patriot is a mobile interceptor missile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, the primary such system used by the United States Army and several allied states. It is manufactured by the U.S. defense contractor Raytheon and derives it ...

surface-to-air missile battery, after allegedly crossing the Syrian-Israeli ceasefire line during a ground attack mission against Syrian opposition forces. This was the first operational shoot down of crewed enemy aircraft for the Patriot in the world. A few months earlier, Israeli Patriot batteries shot down 2

drones.

Weapons and equipment

"Yahalom", a high to medium air defense (HIMAD) medium tactical air defense platform capable of downing aircraft and

ballistic missile A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are powered only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) typic ...

s. Israel's Patriot missile systems have been technologically upgraded since entering service. During 2014 Israeli "Yahalom" MIM-104D batteries achieved the system's first shoot-downs against enemy aircraft (both crewed and uncrewed). * Arrow missile, an Israeli developed - US funding theatre missile defence (TMD) system meant to stop ballistic missiles in the

stratosphere The stratosphere () is the second-lowest layer of the atmosphere of Earth, located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. The stratosphere is composed of stratified temperature zones, with the warmer layers of air located higher ...

. Israel has batteries of Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 missiles. *

David's Sling David's Sling (), also formerly known as Magic Wand (), is an Israel Defense Forces military system jointly developed by the Israeli defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and the American defense contractor Raytheon, that became ope ...

missile, advanced medium- to long-range atmospheric missile defense interceptor. Capable of downing of any kind of advanced tactical ballistic missiles, advanced cruise missiles, large-caliber rockets, UAV, UCAV, fighter and bomber jets. *

, a short-range air defense system designed to defend against rockets, artillery shells, and precision-guided munitions. The first battery became operational in May 2010. * Light Blade, a short range laser directed weapon system designed to defend against

Incendiary balloon An incendiary balloon (or balloon bomb) is a balloon inflated with a lighter-than-air gas such as hot air, hydrogen, or helium, that has a bomb, incendiary device, or Molotov cocktail attached. The balloon is carried by the prevailing winds to ...

s, Incendiary kites, and miniature UAV's. There is only one Light Blade deployed. * Red Sky, a low-altitude air defense system designed for shorter ranges than the Iron Dome. Future systems: * Iron Beam, a short range laser directed weapon system designed to intercept against rockets, artillery shells, and mortar bombs. the system is in the advanced testing phase and expected to enter service in 2025. * Arrow 4 - a new upgraded arrow system from the arrow family with new abilities. Under development in Israel. * SkySonic - a new anti hypersonic - maneuvering missiles system. Under development in Israel.

Organization

Although a part of the Air and Space Force, the command has the same unit structure as the Artillery Corps. Its current commander is Brigadier-General Gilad Biran, who is directly subordinate to the commander of the Air and Space Force.

References

{{Authority control Air defence commands (military formations) Israeli Air Force