Australia looks to Iron Dome technology while criticizing Israel’s war in Gaza – CTech

Australia looks to Iron Dome technology while criticizing Israel’s war in Gaza  CTech

Australia is considering buying missile interceptors developed for Israel’s Iron Dome as it prepares to build its first ground-based missile defense system, putting a politically sensitive Israeli technology in the running for a major Australian military procurement. The deliberations come as Canberra remains sharply critical of Israel’s war in Gaza. The Australian government does not supply weapons to Israel, and purchases of Israeli defense products remain politically scrutinized. But ministers have defended the principle of choosing military equipment according to Australia’s operational needs. “The government will always seek to deliver the most suitable military technology,” said Environment Minister Murray Watt before a parliamentary committee on Thursday The potential purchase is part of a broader effort to establish a medium-range missile defense capability.

Australian officials told lawmakers that lessons from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East were driving the search for a system that could be deployed in the coming decade. One option is SkyHunter, a US-built version of the Tamir interceptor used by Israel’s Iron Dome. The Tamir was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and is jointly manufactured with Raytheon. According to local media reports, Australia’s Defense Ministry has approached Washington for information about the cost and delivery schedule of the US Marine Corps’ Medium Range Intercept Capability, which uses SkyHunter interceptors. That route would allow Canberra