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| Air Defense Command | |
|---|---|
| מערך ההגנה האווירית | |
 | |
| Active | 1948–present |
| Country |  Israel |
| Allegiance |  Israel Defense Forces |
| Motto(s) | אנשים עם מטרה (People with a target/purpose) |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Tat aluf Gilad Biran |
| Insignia | |
| Flag |  |
TheIsraeliAir Defense Command (Hebrew:מערך ההגנה האווירית) is theIsraeli Air and Space Force unit responsible for the surface front of Israels air defense, complementing the air defense provided by Fightersquadrons. Initially a part of the IDFArtillery Corps, since 1970 the Air Defense Command has been subordinate to the Israeli Air and Space Force.
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During the1948 Arab–Israeli War, the Air Defense Network was part of the Artillery Corps, primarily relying onmachine guns. During the 1960s, 40 mmradar-guided anti-aircraft guns were introduced, and in 1965,MIM-23 Hawksurface-to-air missiles. The latter were operated by the Air Force's surface-to-air units. In the 1970s, the entire Air Defense Network was merged with theAir Force.
The Air Defense Command operated manyUnited States-developed short-range system such as theMIM-23 Hawk, theMIM-72 Chaparral andM163 VADS ("Hovet"). The Air Defense Command scored world premier interceptions with most of these systems, mainly against theSyrian Air Force.
Due to increasing rocket threat from theGaza Strip, Israeli-developedIron DomeC-RAM system became operational in 2011. In 2011 the system scored its first interception and since then intercepted hundreds of short- and medium-ranged rockets, fired byHamas from the Gaza Strip, gaining world acclaim for its effectiveness and success.[1][2][3][4]
On 23 September 2014, a Syrian Air ForceSu-24 was shot down by an IAFMIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile battery, after allegedly crossing the Syrian-Israeli ceasefire line during a ground attack mission against Syrian opposition forces.[5][6] This was the first operational shoot down of crewed enemy aircraft for the Patriot in the world. A few months earlier, Israeli Patriot batteries shot down 2Hamas drones.[citation needed]
Future systems:
Although a part of the Air and Space Force, the command has the same unit structure as the Artillery Corps. Its current commander isBrigadier-General Gilad Biran, who is directly subordinate to the commander of the Air and Space Force.
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Authority control databases: National |
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