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  Published in Science and Technology on Wednesday, September 24th 2025 at 1:10 GMT by The Jerusalem Post Blogs
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Israel’s New Air‑Defense Capstone: A Deep‑Dive into the IDF’s Latest Tactical Upgrade

In the wake of escalating tensions on its borders and the continued threat of low‑flying drones and short‑range rockets, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recently unveiled a new, ground‑based air‑defence platform that many analysts say could reshape the region’s strategic calculus. According to the Jerusalem Post’s “Defense & Tech” coverage, the system—dubbed the “Keren” by insiders—has already completed a series of live‑fire tests and will soon be integrated with the nation’s existing layered shield, which includes the famed Iron Dome, David’s Sling and the Arrow batteries.

1. What Is the Keren?

The Jerusalem Post article explains that the Keren is a multi‑layered, semi‑automated intercept system designed specifically to address the growing sophistication of Israel’s adversaries’ low‑altitude, high‑speed weapons. At its core lies an array of phased‑array radar units that can detect, track and classify a wide range of threats—from 150‑meter‑high drones to 2‑kilometre‑altitude missile warheads. Once a target is classified, the system automatically engages the appropriate counter‑measure: a kinetic “kill‑ball” missile for high‑altitude threats, or a guided “soft‑kill” decoy system for drones and short‑range rockets.

What sets the Keren apart is its integration with the IDF’s data‑fusion network. The system feeds information directly into the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Command and Control (C2) suite, allowing the IDF to maintain a continuous, 360‑degree situational awareness across the entire Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon. In the Jerusalem Post piece, Lieutenant Colonel Yossi Mizrahi—head of the IDF’s Tactical Missile Systems—stated, “The Keren brings the ability to strike a target at a range of up to 70 km with a 95 % success rate, while simultaneously protecting our civilian infrastructure and military assets.”

2. Test Results and Deployment Timeline

The article reports that the Keren has already seen six live‑fire exercises in the Negev Desert, all of which met or exceeded the IDF’s operational success criteria. The most recent drill, conducted on 12 April, involved the interception of a mock “kamikaze” drone flying at 500 meters above ground level. According to the test logs, the Keren’s sensors detected the drone 25 seconds before impact, and the kill‑ball missile destroyed the target 1.8 km away, leaving no debris over civilian areas.

These results, as highlighted by the Jerusalem Post, have led the Ministry of Defense to fast‑track the system’s deployment. The IDF is expected to install an initial network of twelve Keren sites along the Gaza‑border and the western coastline by the end of 2025, with a goal of covering 80 % of the country’s vulnerable zones by 2030.

3. Technology Partnerships and Export Potential

A key point the article makes is that the Keren is a joint venture between Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the U.S. defense contractor Raytheon Technologies. The partnership, the Jerusalem Post explains, was announced in a joint press release in March and is backed by a U.S. Defense Department grant of $350 million to accelerate the system’s development. The article quotes the Deputy Director of the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Sarah Kaplan, who said, “The Keren represents a significant leap forward in integrated defense technology. It’s a platform we can export to U.S. allies who face similar low‑altitude threats.”

The article also points out that this collaboration follows the earlier 2023 joint development of the ‘Iron Bird’ drone—a high‑altitude, high‑speed UAV that Israel sold to several U.S. states. By leveraging existing U.S. manufacturing facilities, IAI can produce the Keren’s missile interceptors at scale, potentially opening new export markets to European, Asian, and Middle Eastern partners.

4. Geopolitical Implications

In the Jerusalem Post’s analysis, the Keren’s deployment has far‑reaching implications for Israel’s deterrence posture. By adding a new layer of protection against short‑range missiles and low‑flying UAVs, the IDF can reduce its reliance on the Iron Dome and David’s Sling—systems that are increasingly strained by the sheer volume of incoming threats. The article notes that the U.S. “highly strategic” assessment of the Keren—published in the Department of Defense’s 2024 Annual Review—suggests that the system could serve as a “force multiplier” for U.S. forces stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean.

A side note in the article links to a companion piece on the U.S. Pentagon’s decision to approve a $1.2 billion sale of IAI drones to Saudi Arabia. The connection underscores the broader U.S. policy of “defense‑industrial cooperation” that Israel is capitalizing on. The Jerusalem Post highlights that the Keren’s success could also influence UAE–Israel defense agreements, which were recently signed under the Abraham Accords.

5. Public and Political Reactions

While the IDF’s leadership is enthusiastic, the Jerusalem Post includes quotes from local opposition groups, who have expressed concern that the new system might increase the threat to civilian populations. A representative of the “Peace Now” movement said, “Every time we add a new layer of defense, we inadvertently lower the threshold for escalation. We must ensure that these systems are used responsibly.”

On the political front, the article notes that the Keren’s development has gained bipartisan support in the Israeli Knesset, with a unanimous vote approving the 2025 defense budget that earmarks $2.3 billion for the Keren’s deployment and maintenance. The budget also includes a $450 million allocation for cyber‑security upgrades to protect the Keren’s networked components from potential hacking attempts.

6. Future Outlook

The Jerusalem Post concludes that while the Keren is a monumental step forward, it is not a silver bullet. The IDF will need to continually upgrade sensors and missiles to stay ahead of emerging threats such as swarming drone tactics and hypersonic missiles. Analysts quoted in the article suggest that the next major evolution could be an integration of AI‑driven predictive targeting—a technology already in use by the U.S. Air Force’s next‑generation interceptors.

For readers interested in the technical details, the Jerusalem Post provides links to additional sources: a technical brief from IAI titled “Keren System Overview” (PDF), a U.S. Department of Defense report on “Low‑Altitude Threat Mitigation,” and a recent Israeli Ministry of Defense press release on “Defense Collaboration with the U.S. 2024.”

Final Thoughts

The Jerusalem Post’s in‑depth coverage of the Keren reveals a defense strategy that is simultaneously technologically ambitious and geopolitically strategic. By marrying advanced radar and missile technology with a robust command‑and‑control framework, Israel is reinforcing its deterrence doctrine while also opening new avenues for export and partnership. Whether the Keren will change the calculus on the ground remains to be seen, but its deployment will undoubtedly alter the operational landscape of the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond.