Rocket scientist Ari Sacher explains the capabilities of the Iron Dome missile defense system, why the U.S. needs something more complex and comments on the arms sale to Israel.
President Donald Trump is seeking to bolster the defense of the American homeland with a U.S.-style Iron Dome missile system. However, one expert believes that a system similar to Israel’s is “not needed.”
“So let me tell you at the outset, the president is using the term ‘Iron Dome’ as a metaphor,” rocket scientist Ari Sacher said during an interview on FOX Business’ “Mornings with Maria” Monday. “It’s perfect for defending Israel from Gaza, Lebanon, it is not something that the United States needs very much.”
In President Trump’s first few weeks in office, he signed a slew of executive orders, with one focused on the construction of an American Iron Dome. The order addressed the need for the implementation of a next-generation missile defense shield to protect the homeland “against ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial attacks,” as well as to “further the goals of peace through strength.”
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Sacher explained that when it comes to missile defense, the U.S. needs a more extensive system than Israel’s to grapple with distant adversaries.
Rocket scientist Ari Sacher says an American Iron Dome should be different from Israel’s system. (Getty Images)
“To defend the U.S. homeland, as the president wants to do, you need something completely different,” he said. “You’re defending against rockets not launched from Canada or Mexico… you’re defending against rockets that are launched from North Korea, from China, from Russia, potentially, and you need something far more complex than [an] Iron Dome to shoot it down.”
The rocket scientist, who has expertise in missile defense, further detailed how the system could look under President Trump.
“What the president is looking at is something that probably would be called space-based intercept. You bring up a whole bunch of interceptors into outer space, and the whole intercept will take place in outer space. So if you want to call it ‘Iron Dome’ or you want to call it ‘Fred,’ doesn’t make a difference, it’s not [an] Iron Dome.”
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However achieved, Sacher believes that the American Iron Dome’s chances of success are “excellent,” and that “the U.S. has a tremendous amount of engineers and gumption.” The expert also pointed out the threats that U.S. missile defense could address with the more complex shield compared to that of the Israeli system.
“We’re talking about Korea and points west, China’s even farther. That’s the threats America has to look at, our near-peer threats.”
He continued, comparing those threats to those of the Middle East.
“Things like Gaza and Hezbollah, that’s just too small,” he said. “That’s a minor league United States of America.”
Sacher also revealed the key challenge when it comes to missile defense systems.
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“There’s a whole new slew of technologies that are needed to do this sort of thing. [The] most difficult one is, believe it or not, not the interceptor, it’s not the launcher. The most difficult thing is [not even] getting it into outer space. The most difficult thing is controlling everything,” he stressed.
He broke down the different elements one needs to be aware of while operating the Iron Dome.
“It’s understanding what we call sky picture,” Sacher stressed. “You got to know when you’re shooting an Iron Dome. You got to know who’s firing on you, how many, which is a good guy, which is a bad guy. ‘What’s that 777 landing at the airport? Can’t shoot that down.’ Imagine doing all of that in outer space. And there’s so much more to take care of and there’s so much more that could go wrong, and you have to take account of all these things.”
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Emphasizing the importance of control, Sacher said that once the situation is resolved in space, the system can be applied for use on Earth.
“If you can solve that problem in outer space, then you can use it on the ground for a whole bunch of other control problems; controlling fires, controlling electric grids, controlling everything… That’s the secret: control.”
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