Sputnik News:
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US Congressman Peter Roskam and Congresswoman Grace Meng urged House appropriators to boost funding for joint US-Israel missile defense systems, according to a statement on Roskam’s website.
“In a bipartisan letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Republicans Roskam and Meng requested $41.4 million in funding for the Iron Dome anti-rocket defense system, $286.9 million for the David’s Sling Weapon System, and $146.9 million for the Arrow Weapon System,” the statement published on Tuesday read.
The lawmakers explained that the funding levels would address the evolving threats posed by Israeli adversaries, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran as well as yield economic, technological and military benefits to the United States.
“Last year, for the first time, the United States began co-producing Iron Dome with Israel, which has already yielded American jobs and grants the US share in the program’s production technology,” the letter said.
Last year, Roskam and Meng successfully secured increased funding for Israeli missile defense, after sending a similar letter to House appropriators.
The Iron Dome is a missile defense system, in use since 2011. It was also deployed during Israel’s summer military campaign in Gaza against Hamas forces.
Over the course of the 50-day conflict, the system intercepted 735 rockets that qualified as posing a threat to populated areas, according to the Israel Defense Forces. The Iron Dome failed on 70 occasions, constituting a 90-percent success rate.
The United Nations estimated that over 2,000 Palestinians and 71 Israelis were killed during the operation. The sides agreed to an open-ended ceasefire in late August.
