Iron Dome Model for the U.S. and Europe Faces Criticism at IDEX Defense Fair

Industry experts and executives at the IDEX defense fair have raised concerns over the feasibility of deploying a U.S. or European version of Israel’s Iron Dome, citing the system’s limitations in dealing with long-range missile threats. This follows the Trump administration’s executive order to develop a similar defense umbrella in the U.S., designed to counter ballistic, hypersonic, and advanced cruise missiles.

The proposal gained traction among Republican lawmakers, leading to the introduction of the Iron Dome Act on February 6. However, critics argue that replicating Israel’s Iron Dome system—developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems with U.S. support—would be impractical for defending large regions such as the U.S. or Europe, especially against long-range missile threats.

Dave Alexander, president of drone manufacturer General Atomics, humorously referred to the notion of an Iron Dome for America, suggesting it might be better suited as a “Titanium Dome.” He and other industry leaders pointed out that Iron Dome, designed to intercept short- to medium-range missiles, may not provide sufficient protection against longer-range threats.

Retired Brig. Gen. Shachar Shohat, vice president of Rafael, emphasized that Iron Dome was not intended to be a comprehensive solution for large-scale missile defense. While the system has been highly successful in neutralizing threats at ranges of 4 to 70 kilometers, its scope is limited. Shohat explained that Israel's defense strategy is based on a multilayered air-defense system rather than relying on a single solution like Iron Dome.

For comparison, Israel currently operates ten Iron Dome batteries, each covering approximately 60 square miles. In contrast, the U.S. spans 3.8 million square miles, meaning tens of thousands of Iron Domes would be required to provide adequate coverage for the entire country.

Adm. Pierre Vandier, NATO’s top commander for transformation, echoed these concerns, stating that the Iron Dome would be "unfeasible" for long-range missile interception in Europe. However, Shohat suggested that Iron Dome could still play a role in a broader multilayered defense strategy, particularly in protecting key sites and maneuver forces.

There has been growing interest in the Iron Dome model, especially in Europe. For instance, Greek officials are in talks with Israel to develop a similar system for air and missile defense. Additionally, General Atomics has developed its own technology to fuse early-warning sensor data across vast areas, potentially enabling the creation of a network of Iron Dome-like installations.