WASHINGTON – The defense appropriations bill agreed to by lawmakers this week calls for US funding for Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system to double, bringing Washington's investment in the program to over $1.2 billion since 2011.
House appropriators — like a Senate version of the bill hashed out earlier this year — added $175 million to the Obama administration's original request, bringing the total to $350 million in the fiscal year 2015 bill.
But a key part of the American participation in the program hinges on the stipulation that 55 percent of the components be made in the US, with the rest being produced in Israel by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
On the US side, Raytheon has contracted with Rafael to find American suppliers that can provide the needed parts, a deal which makes the US funding for the system more politically palatable with American lawmakers.
The House bill, which should come to a vote on Thursday, also includes $268 million for two other Israeli missile defense programs: Arrow, and David's Sling (which Rafael is also collaborating with Raytheon to develop). The figure is a huge increase over the administration's original $96 million request.
Iron Dome made headlines earlier this year when Hamas and Islamic Jihad operating in the Gaza Strip launched more than 2,600 rockets against Israel, of which more than 600 were brought down by Iron Dome. Israeli officials said achieved a success rate of 90 percent when it engaged a target.
Executives at Rafael have recently touted the system as being effective against drones, a capability that is shared by the Patriot missile system, which shot down a Hamas drone in July that was flying over the southern city of Ashdod.
But with each shot from a Patriot system running as much as $2 million — while the Iron Dome's Tamir missile costs $100,000 — cost will presumably be a factor in areas where the Iron Dome is active.
