Keeping Tel Aviv Safe

From the Jerusalem Post:

"The man who keeps Tel Aviv safe from rockets"

Maj. Itamar Abu is keeping the millions of residents of the greater Tel Aviv metropolitan area safe from death and destruction. As commander of the hastily assembled Iron Dome battery wheeled out on Friday to defend Israel’s largest metropolis, Abu is playing a critical role in ensuring that the powerful Iranian-made Fajr-5 rockets fired from Gaza do not cause carnage on the city streets.  “It’s an amazing feeling when we make an interception,” Abu said on Monday. “We set up this battery in only 24 hours. All of the people involved in this – when we see a missile strike, the incoming threat – feel an enormous sense of satisfaction.” Three days ago, Abu was pursuing his university studies, when he was called back by the air force to command the new battery, the fifth of its kind deployed to defend the lives of civilians from Palestinian terrorists’ rockets.  Previously the commander of the Iron Dome battery that was stationed in Beersheba, Abu wasted no time in working with technicians from the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which produces the systems, to get the battery up and running before terrorists could direct the rocket menace at Tel Aviv. “We reservists are operating this,” he said. “We had to install the interceptor missiles and make sure all the new equipment was working,” he added. Hours after the battery went online, the first long-range projectiles hurtled at Tel Aviv, only to collide with an Iron Dome interceptor missile. “We worked all night on Friday to have it ready,” he recalled. The system has since successfully intercepted a number of Iranian-made Fajr-5 missiles and Gaza-manufactured long-range rockets, all of which have a range of approximately 70 kilometers. Two interceptors are fired at every incoming threat, though if one missile carries out the task successfully, the second is sent to an open area, what Abu describes as “the interceptor’s graveyard,” to self-destruct. “Sometimes, it takes two to fully eliminate the projectile,” he added.

Rafael has stepped up the production of interceptors, to ensure that stocks remain replenished throughout the conflict with Hamas.  “Production is more intensive now, in light of the situation,” he said. Prior to becoming operational, the battery’s operators had to ensure that they were coordinated with civilian air traffic controllers to avoid disruption to passenger jets. “Flights at Ben-Gurion [Airport] haven’t stopped because there is no danger whatsoever. We’re fully synchronized with air traffic control,” he said. “We can deal with many rockets fired at the same time,” Abu added. “A rocket falling in this built-up urban area would be disastrous. We’re driven by the goal of keeping the people of central Israel safe.”

^ This is just amazing. Only a few months ago Israel was victim to every missile fired at it and now they can protect themselves and their citizens from many of them. Of course it would be good if there were no more missiles or that the Iron Dome could shoot down every one, but its a start. I am surprised that the US and other countries don't have the same system at least planned. Hopefully, Hamas and the other anti-Israel groups and countries will think twice before attacking Israel and those that are attacking them will stop now. Israel has the capability to destroy most of the organizations and countries that want to wipe them off the face of the Earth and yet they restrain themselves because they simply want to be left in peace. The fact that reservists are protecting the cities and public show how truly committed Israel is to stopping the violence thrown at them. They are brave men and women who put their own lives on hold to protect their country in its time of need.  ^

http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=292639