The Israeli Air force has established a new battalion to operate the country's short-range missile system, the Iron Dome.
The Iron Dome, currently being developed by Rafael, will be capable of tracking and intercepting short-range rockets such as Kassam and Katyusha rockets fired by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hizbullah in southern Lebanon.
The system uses advanced radar to locate and track rockets, which will then be intercepted by a kinetic missile interceptor.
The first battery to be deployed along the Gaza border will have four launchers, with 20 missiles each.
The newly formed battalion has begun training on simulators focused on the Iron Dome's command and control systems, the new radar system and the missile launcher.
The battalion that will be part of the air force's air defence division is also formulating a doctrine for operation of the missile defence system.
