A new system of the Home Front Command, which will be put to use at the IAF Center for Ballistic Picture Management in Israel, will allow more efficient recognition of rocket and missile launches
For the first time, as a part of the Israeli-American AC Defense Exercise, a control system of the Home Front Command has been put into use. The new system, which has been developed to improve the IDF’s early warning system pertaining to missiles, will assist the Center for Ballistic Picture Management, the IAF center that is responsible for the detection of rocket and missile firings toward Israel.
The soldiers of the center work shoulder to shoulder with the people of the Home Front Command, and they share an immense mission: warning the citizens of Israel before approaching missiles. As a part of the AC exercise, in which American and Israeli forces practice aerial defense, the IAF and Home Front Command conducted an extensive exercise in which they used the system for the first time.
Instead of One Ballistic Picture–Division into Sections
Until now, the people of the Center for Ballistic Picture Management had one situational photo of Israel in its entirety, from which they had to identify every firing toward the country. The new system, on the other hand, will allow them to focus on various areas around the country, such that each team will be able to scan its sector with more care. “The new system allows us to divide the country in to various sections, and consequently be able to be more exact in warning different areas”, explained Major Ofir Walfish, Commander of the Center. “This is the first time that the Home Front Command and we are practicing in a sectoral manner”.
Inside the center’s operations room, ballistic picture officers sit by representatives of the Home Front Command. They must respond to every “target” they receive–every target is a simulation of a missile launching toward Israel as a part of the AC exercise. First, they receive notification of the launching. After examining the statistics of the launching and comparing it to the incoming information from various sensors, Ballistic Picture officers devise whether this is a launching that endangers Israel-and from here the information is transferred to the Home Front Command.
