How can Israel and the Gulf increase air defense cooperation?
The United States knows this and Central Command head General Kenneth McKenzie has been a leader in warning about the threats. In Saudi Arabia recently the US Marines assigned to Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force  Crisis Response  Central Command (SPMAGTF-CR-CC), participated in Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) training, according to a report. The training involved familiarization with the hand-held C-UAS devices that are designed to detect and deter enemy drones. The SPMAGTF-CR-CC is a crisis response force, prepared to deploy a variety of capabilities, a US government website noted. A photo of the drill shows men with futuristic drone defender gadgets that look like giant ray-guns. Meanwhile US-led Coalition spokesperson Col. Wayne Marotto tweeted on June 25 that the US Department of Defense is implementing a variety of means to counter the UAS. The Dronebuster is a hand-held jammer that can force a UAS to descend or to return to its operator. Also, the CLaWS, Compact Laser Weapon System, gives the Coalition a dynamic defense against attack drones.  That is the US answer to increased threats. Reports say the US is drawing down Patriot batteries in the region. There are other systems to stop threats, such as C-RAM, but its unclear if there are less Patriot batteries, what will secure a wide swath of countries that are US partners, such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. Israel has new peace partners in the Gulf and Israel has developed multi-layered integrated air defense, such as Iron Dome , Davids Sling and the Arrow missile. Arrow has entered a new phase with Arrow 4 development which is jointly done with the Missile Defense Organization and the US Missile Defense Agency. It builds on thirty years of development since the Gulf war. In short, Israel is plugged in well to join development with the US and Israel has provided the US Army with two Iron Dome batteries. Now Ephraim Sneh has argued in a piece at Ynet that Israel should sell Iron Dome to the Gulf states. Dr. Ephraim Sneh is a former deputy defense minister and the CEO of the Center for Strategic Dialogue at Netanya Academic College. He notes that the US is withdrawing air defenses reportedly from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and Jordan, effectively removing US regional allies' layer of protection against missiles and UAVs. This means that while these countries may have their own defenses, the main challenge for Riyadh still remains the protection of crucial sites.  A new regional threat has emerged from Iran and its development of drones and missiles and export of the technology. A new president in Iran is considered to be even more extreme than the last one. Given this new regional reality, Israel must act, he writes. This could involve bolstering its cooperation with US allies in the region. Some already have open diplomatic relations with Israel, while others maintain unofficial contacts.  There is a long road ahead. He suggests Israel could offer Iron Dome and Davids Sling as a defense system to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain. He notes that it is no secret that Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held talks on strategic issues, which have yet to lead to tangible resultsIt is also no secret that Israel has offered its air defense systems to other countries. The establishment of an aerial defense alliance between Israel and its neighbors is an act of diplomatic courage  and all those involved stand only to gain from it.  Rumors about Iron Dome being offered to the Gulf or the US even sending its Iron Dome batteries there have been mentioned before. In fact, back in March Yoel Guzansky argued that Israel must consider assisting Saudi Arabia, which is under constant missile attack. Guzansky is a senior research fellow specializing in Gulf politics and security at Tel Aviv Universitys Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). He is one of Israels leading experts on the Gulf, which makes him well placed to understand not only the Abraham Accords but also the new complex issues involving Saudi Arabia. Israel would do the right thing by offering the [Saudi] kingdom assistance in defending its strategic facilities against the growing threat from Iran, Guzansky wrote. cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: '36af7c51-0caf-4741-9824-2c941fc6c17b' }).render('4c4d856e0e6f4e3d808bbc1715e132f6'); });  if(window.location.pathname.indexOf("656089") != -1){console.log("hedva connatix");document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";}  There are many issues at play here. Offering Iron Dome may not be possible due to some sensitive issues involved with the system. However Israeli defense companies also make other systems that have air defense capabilities. Rafael makes Spyder and IAI makes the Barak system. Foreign reports in December 2016 said Israel had sold a Barak-8 system to Azerbaijan. The Czech Republic is among the countries buying Rafaels Spyder air defense system. The Czech Republic has also acquired the Iron Dome radar that is made by IAIs Elta. This means a more reasonable agreement with the Gulf might involve other air defense technology that Israel has developed and which Israel excels at and which Israel has already sold abroad. Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Arrow, because of the US support for the programs, may have hurdles. Other systems may be easier to deliver in a more timely manner. There are other issues involved as well, such as creating a basic air defense cooperation language to warn about threats across the region. In addition, joint naval exercises or joint air force drills in which Israeli pilots might participate alongside their Gulf peers, would help create this common language. These tentative steps have been taken in drills such as a recent event in Greece where Israeli and UAE officers were both present. Much more work remains to be done. Countries need better air defenses against drone and cruise missile threats. This is particularly true in the Middle East where new weapons are proliferating, especially among Iranian-backed groups such as the Houthis in Yemen and Hamas in Gaza, as well as militias in Iraq and Hezbollah in Lebanon. To defend against these threats requires more investment in air defenses.