Over 135 rockets fired at Israel. Iron Dome proves its mettle

22 Comments / 22 Comments

1. Wow! Talk about being caught on tape.
   There they are , even Bibi voting for withdrawal and the majority saying how Israeli’s security would improve.
   These MK’s created HAMAS.
   General Yaalon has been vindicated.

2. Thanks Yamit. I have been thinking the last day or so that what Israel really needs is a ruthless machiavellian mofo like Putin (sens the corruption) leading the Country. Someone who would level Gaza and then not cringe. What do you think?

3. Welcome to Chelm aka Israel

4. Obama’s statements and decisions are irrational

   Obama is not the only irrational national leader:

   Eldad: The Government is Aiding the Enemy
   MK slams “unprecedented stupidity” of supply trucks to Gaza as Gaza terrorists attack Israel.
   By Maayana Miskin

   Israel must stop The supply of goods to Gaza immediately. Sending supplies to the enemy in wartime is stupidity that is unprecedented in human history,” he added.

5. Israel developed an anti-missile missile that works. Contrast this with American efforts. In 1967 I worked on an anti-missile program at Bell Laboratories in NJ. It never worked. Look at the Patriot anti-missile developed by Ratheon. During the first Iraqi war, many Patriots were fired at incoming scuds. Each Patriot cost $1 million. They did not intercept a single scud.

   This profound American failure is due to the mentality of American workers. They do what they have to do in order to keep their jobs, instead of being focused on the objectives and goals as Israelis do.

   I was a highly paid consultant with Grumman, working on JSTARS, a radar project during the second Iraqi war. My first day at work I looked at the computer code by my predecessor. I went to my manager saying this contained errors in high school trig, and asked him how did this incorrect code pass government inspection. He answered saying that the government inspectors certify work in order to keep their jobs. This is, of course, identical to cheating in college.

   Obama’s statements and decisions are irrational, yet the opposition candidates remain silent. This is because they fear people will get upset. In other words, politicians are focused in what they think will get them votes, not what they think is in the best interest of the country.

6. Never forgive. Never forget.

7. I put that in with you in mind. Thought you would appreciate. 😉

8. In 2000 Chinese agents approached Michael O’Dwyer, inventor of the Metal Storm ‘super gun’ technology, and offered him US$100M to go to China to develop the technology. O’Dwyer refused and informed the Australian government of the approach.

   Every now and then I feel proud to be Australian.

   It’s time to employ an “Iron Coffin” on Gaza. Flatten it!

   All I can say in response to that Shy is that it is long overdue. What did Patton say? I can’t recall the exact words but it went something like this: we don’t fight so that we might die. We fight so that the other bastard dies.

9. ‘Terror group was warned by Egypt of planned assassination’
   Ynet reports Egyptians officials warned Popular Resistance Committees of Israel’s intention to take out leader al-Qaissi
   By Michal Shmulovich

   Egypt warned Gazan terror group the Popular Resistance Committees of Israel’s plan to assassinate its leader, Zuhair al-Qaissi, news website Ynet reported Sunday.

   Abu Mujahid, a spokesperson for the terror organization, said Sunday that recently captured collaborators in Gaza told Hamas that Israeli intelligence officers told them to follow al-Qaissi “everywhere he went,” Ynet reported.

   Egyptian officials had warned the group of the Israeli plan to kill their leader during a February meeting between leaders of the group and Egyptian intelligence officials, according to Mujahid.

   On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces carried out a targeted assassination against al-Qaissi and another top PRC operative who was released in the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal in October 2011, Mahmoud Hanani. The IDF said the group was planning another major terror attack along the Egyptian-Israeli border.

   Al-Qaissi is believed to have been behind the multi-faceted terror attack in southern Israel in August 2011, during which Gaza terrorists entered Israel through the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, dressed as Egyptian security officers, and killed eight Israelis.

   Egypt reportedly asked the terror organization not to carry out acts of terror against Israel through Sinai — but stopped short of asking them to stop their activities against Israel altogether, according to Ynet. Instead, they told the group not to use the Sinai Peninsula as a base for staging future attacks and instead to limit themselves to acting out of the Gaza Strip rather than Egyptian territory like they had done in the past.

10. Bill Maher on Israel I am in SHOCK!!!!

11. A new poll conducted by Ha’aretz, a leading Israeli newspaper, indicates that support in Israel for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reached an all-time high despite constant media criticism of Netanyahu and his less than perfect relations with President Obama.

    Israelis know that Obama is at fault for this despite the spin by the leftist Israeli media.

12. Rocket lands in Beersheba school as ceasefire remains elusive
    No injuries in school; some 30 rockets fired at Israel on Sunday; Egypt’s bid to restore calm hits obstacles; Gaza death toll rises to 25, including a 12-year-old boy

13. It Is an Australian company

    http://www.metalstorm.com/

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Storm

    In 2000 Chinese agents approached Michael O’Dwyer, inventor of the Metal Storm ‘super gun’ technology, and offered him US$100M to go to China to develop the technology. O’Dwyer refused and informed the Australian government of the approach. Since then the Chinese have developed the technology independently. The China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) has details of a variety of Metal Storm-related research and development activity in China, including Close-In Weapons Systems for ships, and Hyper-velocity Ballistic Missile Interception. The Chinese refer to their development efforts as ‘Metal Storm’ technology, with much of the research effort funded by the Central Government and conducted at Nanjing University.

14. Metal Storm Concept 4

    MSC4 is a new development by IAI and IMI, based on the 36-barrel prototype demonstrated by MetalStorm before the technology was acquired by Israel. The concept is one of two alleys the IDF is looking into to augment the expensiveness of Iron Dome and David’s Sling batteries. The MSC4 is based on a trailer designed to be used with most standard vehicles in combination with a special modification of a Wolf Armored Vehicle carrying a fire control radar.
    Each trailer carries three turrets, each with a single 12-barrel weapon. The turrets can sweep 360 degrees and elevate to almost 90 degrees. Each barrel contains 12 25mm High Explosive rounds. The radar automatically sends missile flight data to the fire control computer, mounted on a separate trailer. The fire control computer then relays the data to the individual turrets which then open fire at the missile. It is estimated that one barrel can take out a single rocket with a burst. Each barrel can empty itself in less than .2 seconds, giving a fire rate comparable to that of a gatling gun. For reloading, turrets point themselves into the ground and eject the tubes used for reloading the weapon, essentially pre-packed barrels containing the rounds. Gun crews can then reload a barrel in a minute thanks to the simple method of fitting new barrels (Insert and twist till click).

    Each battery will be made up from four turret trailers (a total of 12 turrets, giving the theoretical ability to engage approx. 576 rockets in a very short period), two radars and four fire-control computers. It has two methods of communicating, wireless for more hasty deployments, and for more permanent positions, fiber-optic cable can be used to allow more data to be transfered at once (higher bandwidth). Each battery can protect an area approx. 7.2 kilometers from its center when properly deployed.

    The estimated cost of each battery will be approx. $130 million (Number pulled out of my ass rather arbitrarily) and the first batteries will be ready for deployment in 1Q2026 (5 year development time, it’s loosely based on the 36-barrel prototype and the fact that the IDF really do need a way to counter rocket barrages in the future)

    The reloading time seems awfully low – each loaded barrel would be fairly heavy, and ungainly. A 60 second reload time means they change a barrel every 5 seconds.

    The cost, on the other hand, seems high. If you assume the sensor package is roughly equivalent to that carried on the Phalanx, you’re probably looking at $120 million or so for a battery.

    Otherwise it looks good. Change those and I’ll approve.

    -JB

15. A-10I Geshem ha-Pladah (Rain of Steel) Close Air Support Aircraft

    The A-10I is an Israeli designed single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by IAI, based on the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
    Designed to provide the IAF with a hard-hitting strike craft capable of engaging insurgents, armor, buildings and other targets, it uses the A-10C as a baseline.
    It refits the glass cockpit and other electronics with Israeli components, replaces the hydraulic control systems with a digital fly-by-wire system, saving space, and replaces most of the internal wiring with fiber-optic cables. Because the digital fly-by-wire system is much more weight and space saving than the hydraulic system, the A-10I can fit triple redundancies of most critical wiring, and computer systems.

    The space freed up by losing the Hydraulics is reclaimed by additional fuel tanks, allowing for a 5% increase in Combat Radius when fully loaded, and a 10% increase in Ferry Range.

    The A-10I will cost $55 million new, and be available for the IAF in 3Q2023

    Approved.
    
    -JB

16. Metal Storm Concept X

    Very Secret IC
    

    MSCX is a project undertaken by Mossad in cooperation with certain elements of IMI. Designed for Mossad’s Kidon unit and other units that undertake Targeted Killings, it is a concealable gun.
    Because Metal Storm is electronically fired, this allows for a smaller system than a normal gun, or even a compressed air gun.
    The MSCX is designed to be hidden in various things. One of the methods is an umbrella, borrowing from the theory regarding the Markov Assassination. Other examples include canes, large screwdrivers, pens, or anything that has a ‘barrel’ approx. 15cm long or more, and is atleast 0.7cm in internal diameter.
    The gun is single-shot, meaning that it has to disassembled to be reloaded, and has very little range or penetration.
    The 1.4mm pellet can easily penetrate skin, it does however have issues penetrating anything thicker than a t-shirt, meaning that it cannot be effectively used in colder regions where people wear heavy clothing.
    The pellet can contain almost anything, ranging from tranqulizers, poison, even a radio transmitter. There are some restrictions, beyond size, as radio transmissions have problems reaching further than a 100m, and sound recording is close to impossible. The pellet is subsonic, and due to the design of the gun, there is close to zero sound when fired, and the pellet is so small that anyone shot with it may simply feel a small prick.

    The weapon system will be ready by the end of 2020, and will cost (It’s Mossad, and won’t be produced in any large numbers, so does it really matter?)

    Mod approves, on the condition that the use of this weapon is accompanied by entertaining RP.

17. -JB
    _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Metal Storm Concept 3

    MSC3 is another cooperating between IMI and IWI, it is a further development of the MSC1. While the MSC1 was purely an attachment for the TAR-21 and other rifles, the MSC3 takes it one step further, into a complete weapons system.
    The MSC3 is very similar to the XM25, both in size and basic function. Like the XM25, the MSC3 fires a 25x40mm Grenade, of various kinds. Commonly it will fire HE or Fragmentation Grenades, which are designed for airburst, but it also comes in Flashbang, Non-Lethal, Flares, CS Gas and Smoke. In addition it comes with Thermobaric rounds and Flechette rounds.
    The Thermobaric, HE, Fragmentation, Flashbang, Flare, CS Gas and Smoke Grenades come with both impact and pre-programable fuses. Both kinds of fuses can be deactivated before launch (Like disabling the impact fuse when firing in an area where collateral damage might be high).
    Like the MSC1, grenades come in prepacked or custom packed tubes, but in this case each tube comes with five grenades.
    The sighting unit contains the ballistic computer and has dual sights, one Thermal Sight with digital zoom from 4x to 20x, and one 2x optical sight. Both sights have both manual sighting aids (Lines to assist aiming over significant distances) and also have suggested aiming point, calculated by the ballistic computer based on the environmental sensors, which take wind at the weapon, humidity and other factors into account. Over short distances the calculated point is high accurate, but it drops in accuracy over distance, commonly it is recommended to disregard it or correct it with your own aim at distances over 400m.
    The ballistic computer is controlled from the small control panel, easily available with the finger and placed so that firing can be done almost instantly after programming. The control panel includes the safety, buttons to adjust the range, a button to disable each of the fuses and to disable the assisted aiming system.
    
    The weapon is expected to enter service in 2Q2020 at a cost of $20,000 per firearm

    Mod approves

18. Israeli Research and Development

    Metal Storm Concept 1

    A cooperation between IMI and IWI, Metal Storm Concept 1 (MSC1) is a ‘simple’ attachment designed specifically for the TAR-21. Designed as a Multi-Purpose attachment, it can fire a great variety of ammunition, ranging from a maximum of 40mm to a minimum of 20mm (using simple sabots). The various kinds of ammunitions come preloaded in three-shot barrels which fit inside the launcher. Each round can then be launched, within a single second if so desired. To reload, the quick-release is triggered, shooting the spent barrel and allowing a new one to fit in. Soldiers can also pre-load their own personal blend of various kinds of grenades.
    The attachment weights approx. 1kg and is also available in a standalone variant which comes equipped with a folding stock, pistol grip and a piticanny rail.

    Ammunition types

    40mm Grenade
    -The 40mm Grenade comes in an HE variant, HEDP, Incendiary, CS gas, smoke grenade and as a flashbang
    -The HE, Incendiary and Flashbang variant also comes equipped for airburst, set by a small dial on the launcher itself.
    Crowd Control Grenades
    -LTL variants, such as foam, rubber and sting (Grenade that fires hundreds of small rubber balls)
    Flares
    -Comes with a variety off flares, both actually burning flares, smoke flares and IR flares in various colors.
    Rounds
    -The gun can fire a variety of rounds, generally 20mm or 30mm using Sabots. These come in all the variants found among normal 20mm (HE, HEDP, etc)

    The attachment is expected to cost $1,200 for the IDF, and $1,500 for export customers, with contracts for full ammunition support ranging from $12,000 to $12,500 depending on the number of units purchased, and so on. It will be available for production by 2Q2020.

    Approved.

    __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

19. It’s time to employ an “Iron Coffin” on Gaza. Flatten it!

20. From what I just read Metal Storm is an Australian company with a number of products based on the same technology, something called superposed projectiles, which can be readily used remotely. I saw mainly American companies and defense entities listed as customers on the company’s website. The Chinese were interested, but when their overtures to the Australian inventor were rejected, they stole the concept and are developing their own variant.

    I’m sure the Israelis are aware of the technology, and would be interested if they felt it met their needs. For all we know, they might have their own competing technology which will do the same thing. They are very active in research, develop and production of all kinds of defense technologies. Both for IDF use and foreign customers.

21. About time to quite playing defense and do some “hard hitting” offense

22. Do the Israeli’s know about the gun system named “Metal Storm”? It is awesome – in fact it is so
    awesome that Israel probably invented it. If not, they should look into it.