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A Great White Fleet for the 21st Century
March 18, 2011 | 180 comments
Special Report
Meanwhile, in Israel…
It’s come under fire again from Gaza. Why weren’t its defense systems ready? (Updated, March 28, 2:05 p.m.)
(Page 3 of 4)
In mid-February, Haaretz reported that Iron Dome would be declared operational “within a few weeks.” The Israeli Air Force, responsible for its deployment and operation, estimated then that approximately thirteen batteries would be needed to protect the country as a whole, and Israel may be some time away from having that many. The number of completed batteries is unknown.
Whatever their number, about a year ago, the government appears to have decided to warehouse rather than deploy Iron Dome, according to the Jerusalem Post: The “anti-rocket defense system will be located in center of country, [and] be deployed only in cases of extreme rocket fire from Gaza or south Lebanon.” A difficult decision to understand since the system was designed to defend against surprise attacks.
However since new mortar rounds cost between about $500 and $1,600 depending on type, firing a $50,000 anti-missile to knock one out seems uneconomical, and given the quantity of old Soviet mortar rounds available, unsustainable. Stovepipe rockets cost about the same, so the same math applies.
Iron Dome may work perfectly, but can a nation smaller than New Jersey afford to use it? Could Iron Dome’s cost of intercept be the reason Israel didn’t deploy it? Nobody will comment.
So, What Now?
Obviously it’s too late to deploy THEL or MTHEL, but there is another system that could begin defending Israeli civilians within weeks. It would be based on Phalanx, also known as the Close In Weapon System (CWIS) or “Sea-whiz.”
Something of a super Gatling gun, and based on the 20-mm Vulcan cannon, Phalanx has been mature for decades. First Phalanx deployment was in 1978, but Vulcan has been used in aircraft since the 1960s. The weapon is used in forms tailored to air-to-air combat and ground attack, and by more than 20 navies as a last-ditch defense against supersonic anti-ship missiles, some of which maneuver wildly. As Phalanx, it’s used by the Navy on every class of surface-combat vessel, in effect defeating incoming fire by hanging a curtain of metal in front of the threat. The original airborne Vulcan is famous for its destruction of Iraqi tanks.
This is mature technology and its development costs have long since been paid. Even better, procurement and operational costs could be low compared to any other defense.
Phalanx/Vulcan/CIWS already is available in a compact land version called C-RAM (Counter Rocket, Artillery, Mortar). C-RAM grew out of a 2004 request from then U.S. Army Chief of Staff, General Peter Schoomaker, who wanted a means of defending U.S. troops in Iraq. It was deployed on the back of flat-bed trucks, and worked well as a mobile defense against incoming fire, using its self-contained Ku-band radar and infrared sensors to track targets.
C-RAM is a system with a range of about five kilometers, and while not originally designed for use in urban areas, it uses special ammunition which either hits the target or self-destructs to minimize ground damage. Used in a border defense role, C-RAM would be aimed outward, away from one’s citizens and toward the adversary. Also, C-RAM and can be moved as needed; the U.S. Army does this now.
C-RAM technology could probably defend against any short-range Hamas or Hezbollah missile, mortar, or artillery threat, and against hardware neither group has gotten its hands on yet. THEL could be better, but the relatively inexpensive C-RAM has been mature and available for years. Israel could have bought Phalanx-based systems at any time in the past decade for a relatively small outlay, perhaps deploying them at many locations across its southern border.
Interestingly, the Department of Homeland security is studying a C-RAM derivative for use in defending airports against man-portable surface-to-air missiles, according to en.citizendium.org. Phalanx/Vulcan/C-RAM seems to be one of those weapon systems so useful it simply continues to evolve.
Unlike Iron Dome C-RAM can engage targets closer than two miles — much closer — making it a good point-defense weapon, and one suitable for deployment in towns near the border — within mortar range. And because (unlike traditional counter-battery fire) it destroys the incoming missile rather than attacking its source, it would create almost no collateral damage.
So if war and bloodshed are abhorrent, and the safety of innocent civilians, Israeli or Palestinian, is important, why hasn’t Israel deployed any of these systems? Or all three? Colliding priorities? Budgetary problems?
In fairness, Israel may have tried to buy C-RAM, and apparently purchased one battery for evaluation. Then about three years ago an article appeared in an obscure Finnish international-affairs journal, describing Phalanx/C-RAM and wondering why Israel wasn’t using it. With this information available, pressure began building from Israeli citizens, backers, and media. The article may have been noticed by military-affairs analyst Yossi Melman, who wrote in Haaretz that Israel already should have purchased C-RAM.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (21) | Leave a comment
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martin j smith| 3.28.11 @ 8:03AM
Israel about the size of new jersey is like the US a democratic nation with its pros and cons. Plus the fact that it is depends on an undependable US even more so on the undependable side. Given that it is a miracle Israel survives. I thin about seventy five percent of Israelis care about their own nation--perhaps twenty five percent + or - may not. Netenyahu is no fool and is playing an extremely delicate military-diplomatic game ( not a joke ) withe US and the STRING QUARTET. And I would also bet that there is a certain level of what Israelis are doing WE DO NOT AND SHOULD NOT KNOW ABOUT.
Alan Brooks| 3.28.11 @ 9:39PM
"....when we stop supporting and fighting for Israel's right to being.............period."
NaturalBornTexan, unfortunately, Israel is the scapegoat of the world; remember it took the largest war in history to hunt Hitler down like a mad dog, and three years after the war to create Israel. Tell Red Phillips, a few others at AS, and the many Texans who hate Israel what you wrote. Israel-hating is in every state, and will continue in every state as people not only want scapegoats, but need them.one thing i DETEST is for a German to criticize Israel, I feel like cutting his tongue out from his mouth.
Louis Jenkins| 3.28.11 @ 8:43AM
I am anxiously awaiting the next jaw dropping development that will come out of Israel.
Brian Mc| 3.28.11 @ 8:53AM
Reminds me of fire extinquisher training. It is always best to aim at the base, rather than the flames.
NaturalBorn Texican| 3.28.11 @ 8:55AM
Israel survives because the Lord God of Heaven wills it. The Jews are his people and they will not be wiped from the face of the earth....even though it seems like every other country on this planet is against them, even, at times, the US. I hope not....for that is when the US will fall apart....when we stop supporting and fighting for Israel's right to being.............period.
ShortNSweet| 3.28.11 @ 10:00AM
Israel will stand with or without MThel, Thel, Cram or whatever. They have the God of Heaven on their side. He will protect them with fire from heaven if he chooses. It is my hope that the Muslim Pres of the United States of America will be out of here and that the USofA is 100% on there side...if not, it will be a sad, sad day for the US of A.
NaturalBorn Texican| 3.28.11 @ 10:04AM
Ditto!!!! Short n sweet!
Harry the Horrible| 3.28.11 @ 10:37AM
Problem is, that every shot from Iron Dome costs more than the weapon it is being deployed against.
The most comprehensive, long-lasting, and cost-effect solution would be to drive the Palis out of the Gaza strip into Egypt or into the Med.
Skippy| 3.28.11 @ 6:32PM
Finally!
I have been suggesting that solution since I was 10 and learned of the conflict.
Nothing in the ensuing 45 years has changed my mind.
Thank you Harry!
OLDRAY| 3.28.11 @ 11:20AM
HAMAS , BIBI & BARAK sre defeating Israel...No defense tactics alone will stop the attacks which are sure to end with cemical or oil storage tanks in Ashdod being blown with horrific results.. Killing off a few terrorists in reprisals is worthless. Those who willingly send off their children as himan bombs couldn't care less about a few Hamas leaders being blown away. The more worthwhile deterent is to turn the Gazan populace against Hamas & friends. Israel strikes against key infrastructure can do this. It can be done with next to no loss of civilian lives. Example: notify (by leaflets, radio, cell phine etc.) that between X hour and Y hour they should stay away from the day's infrastructure targets (example: petrol stations) as they will be blown up. The next time there is a rocket or missile attack repeat with diffenent infrastructure target (power station, cell towers etc ). The populace can be turned against those causing their problems by their attacks. Put the blame where it belongs.
David W| 3.28.11 @ 12:35PM
When Israel is attacked again, let us hope for three things:
1) its survival
2) those attacking have their butts severely kicked
3) that if the Palistenians are involved either indirectly (by letting invaders use their territory) or directly (firing missiles, sending in armed troops) Israel decides that there can be no peace with the Palistenian rabble and kicks them out of Gaza and the West Bank.
Smirking Weasel| 3.28.11 @ 4:23PM
Israel is a foreign country. It's problems, however challenging and worthy of sympathy, are its' own and not America's. Americans who put another nations' problems on par with their own country's at minimum insult and degrade their fellow citizens.
Occam's Tool| 3.28.11 @ 11:39PM
Israel, SW, is the buffer state against Islamic terrorist scum that want to kill us too. Getting rid of it in this war is like abandoning GB in WWII.
RCV| 3.29.11 @ 12:22PM
Weasel's comments sound exactly like the speeches of America Firsters before WWII telling us that Europe's problems were their own, and we shouldn't worry about what Hitler might do to other countries. That advice may have made some sense in George Washington's day, when America was isolated from most of the rest of the world by oceans on either side. In the interdependent world of the 21st century, however, such a view is foolishly myopic.
We will stand with and defend Israel for many reasons, only one of which Occam so rightly notes.
John| 3.28.11 @ 7:40PM
Spoken like a true patriot.
Occam's Tool| 3.28.11 @ 11:39PM
Spoken like a true Terrorist Boof, John.
Intelligent Design| 3.28.11 @ 8:39PM
Over the past five years Muslim terrorists have launched about 8,000 rockets and mortars against Israel from Gaza, which Hamas controls. Instead of giving aid to Libyan rebels with ties to al Qaeda, the U.S. should be giving assistance to Israel to kill the Hamas terrorists. The House should impeach Obama for treason based on his giving military assistance to the Libyan rebels.
RCV| 3.29.11 @ 12:24PM
We have been, and will continue to give, millions in aid to our ally Israel. But intervening in Libya against the man who has repeatedly murdered Americans in addition to terrorizing his own citizens was entirely right.
Occam's Tool| 4.2.11 @ 1:54AM
Can't argue with you on Libya, RCV. Don't really want to. One caveat, though---we need to make sure we aren't replacing Q with something WORSE. That seems to be quite possible. That's my reason for caution.
That, and the fact that Obama has not mastered the KISS doctrine, which is an iron rule in military operations: Keep it Simple, Stupid. I worry about that, too.
All that being said, I want our Commander in Chief to win this one.
YJ Draiman | 4.3.11 @ 12:06AM
“Israel’s Disproportionate Restraint.”
Israel is guilty of anything it’s of disproportionate restraint.
Israel has the right and obligation to defend its citizens
The brutal slaughter of a family of 5 in Itamar just shows that we are dealing with a barbaric mentality.
Add to it the bomb at a bus stop in Jerusalem.
The daily launching of rockets from Gaza against civilian population and schools.
No country and government that cares about its citizens would tolerate such atrocities.
Terror should be handled in the following manner. When a poison strikes the human body, the only way to address it, is to remove it and destroy it completely.
It is a known fact that any country if attacked, its citizens kidnapped, rocket bombardment on a daily basis.
Has the right and obligation to defend its citizens.
It is sad that innocent civilians are hurt, but that is the cost of war and conflict.
Any government and its citizen who do not resist terrorism and let terrorist organization entrench themselves in their country and utilize those countries as bases of armed terrorism against a neighboring country. Eventually pays the price for permitting such actions.
If you gave the Arab population a vote in Israel and the west bank and Jerusalem the option to vote freely and without intimidation, you would find out, that they would rather be living under Israel’s government. They derive more stability more benefits, pensions, welfare, etc.
If the United States or any other government were to be attacked from across the border on a daily basis, have its citizens kidnapped, rockets launched at them on a daily basis, the citizens would demand that immediate military action be initiated with no holds barred, collateral damage or not. That is the fact of life.
Terrorist and those who support them do not know what peace is, they thrive on violence. That is the only way they control the masses. Any negotiations or compromise only strengthen those terrorist organizations. When a poison strikes the human body, the only way to address it, is to remove it and destroy it completely.
There is no such thing as a “disproportioned response to terror.”
Our problem today is “Israel’s Disproportionate Restraint.”
This puts Israel and its citizens in grave danger.
That is the way the terrorist organizations should be treated.
“Like all sovereign nations, Israel has not only a right, but moreover, an obligation, to ensure the safety and security of her citizens”.
As quoted in a statement “the only time of a chance for peace is, when the Arab mother would love her children more than she hates the Israelis.
The big mistake is that people are missing the economic benefits for Israel and its neighbors. That is if there was a true peace, you take the Israeli Technology and know how, add to it the Arab labor and natural resources – and you have an economic prosperity beyond your widest dreams.
The Qur'an 17:104 - states the land belongs to the Jewish people
Every time there is a terrorist act, Israel should vacate an Arab village and raze it.
YJ Draiman
Creative Recreation | 8.10.11 @ 11:21PM
is good