Barak Magen: Israel's New 'Lightning Shield' To Shoot Down Iranian Drones
Israel activated its new aerial defence system, 'Barak Magen' or 'Lightning Shield,' for the first time after multiple Iranian airstrikes breached the Iron Dome and hit buildings in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other cities. The new defence system intercepted Iranian drones on Sunday night, the military said.
The Israeli Navy used the Barak Magen system along with its long-range air defence (LRAD) interceptor to down eight Iranian drones, as per Fox News. The interception was carried out from a Sa'ar 6 missile ship in Israeli waters, according to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
John Hannah, a senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), said the system "significantly enhances" the naval wing of Israel's missile defence, calling it a critical layer in Israel's response to recent large-scale Iranian attacks.
What Is Israel's Barak Magen?
Barak Magen, which means "Lightning Shield" in Hebrew, is Israel's latest naval air defence system. It is a special version of the Barak MX missile defence system, built to protect navy ships from various aerial threats like drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. The system is deployed on advanced Israeli Navy ships called Sa'ar 6 corvettes.
How Barak Magen Works
Barak Magen uses a mix of radar, command systems, and a set of smart vertical launchers that can fire different types of missiles. These include short-range, medium-range, and long-range interceptors, all launched straight up from the ship to hit incoming threats from any direction. This gives the system 360-degree coverage and the ability to deal with multiple targets at once.
Types Of Missiles Barak Magen Uses
Barak MRAD for short and medium ranges (up to 35 km)
Barak LRAD for medium to long ranges (up to 70 km).
Barak ER for extended ranges (up to 150 km).
All these interceptors can be used from the same launcher.
Barak Magen: First Trials
The first live-fire trial of Barak Magen was conducted in November 2022 aboard the INS Magen, a Sa'ar 6-class warship, according to a report by military intelligence portal Janes. Following that, Israel released a video showing the system successfully launching a missile and destroying a target close to sea level.
India's Barak-8
Israel has also worked with India to develop Barak-8, a surface-to-air version of the Barak defence system. This joint project with India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is designed to defend against aircraft, drones, anti-ship missiles, and ballistic missiles. Barak-8 has a range of up to 100 km and can operate at altitudes up to 20 km. Unlike Barak Magen which is specific to naval use, Barak-8 can be deployed from both land and sea platforms.
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