The Lebanon war ended with great achievements on the diplomatic front. One of Rafael’s major successes in the war was the “Red Dawn” warning system, which was first used on the Gaza perimeter. The system performs a number of actions simultaneously - it provides warning of short-range Katushya or Kassam rocket attack, and identifies launch sites. It also has prioritizing capabilities - it can calculate the trajectories of incoming missiles, assess which of them will miss their targets, and ignore them. The “Red Dawn” system was deployed during the war to give people warning of Katushya launches, and its detection system helped Israel Air Force locate and destroy Hizbullah’s medium and heavy rockets and missile launchers. Following the demonstration of its capabilities during the war, the Ministry of Defense ordered an additional series of “Red Dawn” warning systems for the IDF.
Other Rafael-produced systems used successfully by the IDF during the war were short and long-range anti-tank missiles, Litening airborne targeting pods, and electro-optic detection systems. Rafael also has armaments about which details are classified. However, that defense exports could be harmed because of the war, and one of the reasons for this is the attack using an Iranian-made missile on the Israel Navy missile boat INS Hanit. The missile boat’s “Barak” naval defense system was jointly developed by Rafael and Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. (IAI), with Rafael owning 40% of the project.
Rafael feels a sense of missed opportunity because the IDF’s Merkava tanks were not fitted with Rafael’s “Trophy Active Defense System,” developed as protection against anti-tank missiles. The system is currently being trialed by US forces engaged in counter-terrorism operations in Iraq. Had it been used to protect the IDF against anti-tank missiles, the system would have reduced and perhaps even prevented harm to the tanks and their crews. Such success would have also promoted the mass export of the system to the US. Before the war, the IDF did not believe that the system was important enough to warrant a change in priorities for tank protection. There were roadside bombs, and improvised mines, and protection against these threats was viewed as more important than protection against anti-tank missiles. (Obviously they didnt read the War Nerd's blog).
Why a pic of that girl Bar Rafaeli? Am I confusing the Rafael - the arms factory -with Rafaeli - the model? Am I confusing war and sex? What? they aren't the same thing?
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