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US reps introduce bipartisan bill to purchase Iron Dome air-defense system

The U.S. Marine Corps expressed interest in acquiring two of the short-range battery systems with their almost 90 percent success rate.

View of an Iron Dome air-defense missile system in central Israel installed following tensions with Syria and in Israel’s south, Jan. 25, 2019. Photo by Flash90.
View of an Iron Dome air-defense missile system in central Israel installed following tensions with Syria and in Israel’s south, Jan. 25, 2019. Photo by Flash90.

U.S. Reps. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) and Representative Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) introduced on Monday the U.S.-Israel Indirect Fire Protection Act of 2019 to authorize the Secretary of the Army to procure for the U.S. military two Iron Dome short-range air-defense-system batteries.

“Iron Dome is a proven defense system that will provide increased protection for our troops in the field,” said Sherrill. “Access to this technology addresses critical gaps in our current capabilities. It is an important interim step as we invest in the future of our military, and I’m glad to join with Representative Wilson, my colleague on the Armed Services Committee, to introduce this bill.”

AIPAC told JNS on Tuesday that it supports the measure.

At an April 2 hearing by the House Armed Services Committee, Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Mark Milley said “the Iron Dome is a very capable system. It has basically a 100 percent track record in combat. We clearly need it to protect our formations.”

Iron Dome system is manufactured by Raytheon and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

The U.S. Marine Corps has expressed interest in acquiring the anti-missile defense system, which has an almost 90 percent success rate, reported Marine Corps Times.

“In this political environment, he may be as reliable a supporter as possible that the Democratic caucus would sign off on for the position,” political science scholar Dan Schnur told JNS.
“Anyone who attempts to pose a threat or attack Israel will face devastating consequences,” said Danny Danon, Israeli ambassador to the global body.
The reversal “sends an unfortunate signal at a time of rising antisemitism and sustained efforts to isolate Israel economically,” Evan R. Bernstein, CEO of B’nai B’rith International, told JNS.
“For the love of God, if Israel is not capable of creating an investigation committee, then I think it is suitable and appropriate that the good people of the United States, the people in Congress, do provide us the answers that we’re looking for,” Ruby Chen said.