Air Defense Command (Israel)

The Israeli Air Defense Network is the IDF Air Force unit responsible for the surface front of Israel's air defense, complementing the air defense provided by the active squadrons.

History

During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the Air Defense Network was part of the Artillery Corps, primarily relying on machine guns. During the 1960s, 40mm radar-guided anti-aircraft guns were introduced, and in 1965, MIM-23 Hawk Surface-to-air missiles. The latter were absorbed in the Air Force's surface-to-air units. In the 1970s, the entire Air Defense Network was merged with the Air Force.

Arrow TMD missile system

Weapons systems

The network employs four primary weapons systems:

• FIM-92 Stinger, a man portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile, mostly employed against helicopters
• MIM-23 Hawk, a medium range radar guided surface-to-air missile and longest serving system, it is also the network's most victorious. The current model is an "improved" version featuring Raytheon's PIP3#
• MIM-104 Patriot, a High to Medium Air Defense (HIMAD) medium tactical air defense platform which has demonstrated the capability to down ballistic missiles
• Arrow missile, an Israeli developed theatre missile defence (TMD) system meant to stop ballistic missiles in the stratosphere

Organization

Although it is part of the Air Force, the Network is organizationally structured in a way similar to the Artillery Corps. The current Network commander is Brigadier-General Daniel Milo (former commander was Ilan Bitton), who is directly subordinate to the commander of the Air Force.