Rafael seeks to bring Iron Dome technology to civilian market

Now, with the increased threats posed by terrorism, including cyber terrorism, mPrest is hoping to use Iron Dome technology to protect government buildings and civilian infrastructure.

NOVEMBER 16, 2016 02:58

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’ C-Dome system, a sea-based version of the Iron Dome anti-rocket battery, fires from an Israeli Navy missile ship (photo credit: screenshot) — Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’ C-Dome system, a sea-based version of the Iron Dome anti-rocket battery, fires from an Israeli Navy missile ship

(photo credit: screenshot)

Iron Dome might be known best for its precision in intercepting incoming rockets, but now one of the principal designers of the system is hoping to use that technology in the civilian market.

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems subsidiary mPrest, located in Petah Tikva, is responsible for developing the algorithms that direct the missile defense system, but the underlying technology has a variety of other uses.

Now, with the increased threats posed by terrorism, including cyber terrorism, mPrest is hoping to use Iron Dome technology to protect government buildings and civilian infrastructure such as airports, major tourist spots, ports and other strategic installations.

mPrest is well known for their work in the field of command and control systems and already offers solutions for smart cities, allowing organizations to use its generic software platform to connect several sensors at any time with unrivaled flexibility and obtain real-time situational awareness.

New York State’s Power Authority bought a system developed by mPrest which detects malfunctioning power transformers, automatically shutting them down or rerouting the power before they might cause larger problems on the electrical grid.

mPrest CEO and founder Col. (res.) Natan Barak told The Jerusalem Post that the company “comes with a new approach in how to manage the huge amount of data and sensors that thousands of organizations are using. We are giving total asset management to our clients for the process of increasing productivity, efficiency and energy as well as the safety and security of the organization.”

Most importantly, Barak added, mPrest “gives our clients the power to change any rules in the system on a daily basis, in real time without the need to go through the whole development cycle again.”

The asset management system was developed on the basis of the command and control system of Iron Dome, but uses a unique IoT (Internet of Things) platform interface with several sensors and systems. The system provides a “robust protection layer” which gives organizations full control and allows for a lightning-fast response while controlling, processing, and transferring all the information to the appropriate authorities.

In a statement to the press, Barak said “IOT technology enables organizations to control many interfaces by placing sensors that monitor activity on a regular basis and produce an updated assessment of the situation at any given moment.

“The mPrest system will allow enterprises, cities and states to face the challenges in the coming years in terms of raising productivity, improving processes and boosting real-time information sharing between all officials and fulfilling tasks in the best way possible,” Barak added.