The United States military has successfully completed a test of the Israeli-designed Iron Dome missile system in a missile range in a remote New Mexico desert.

The Iron Dome missiles were part of a live fire exercise in which the system destroyed several targets, while being tested to ensure it was compliant with US army systems.

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The US army tested Iron Dome systems at the White Sands missile test facility in New Mexico (US Army)

“It’s important to understand that implementation for the US is about the ability to integrate this system into our air defense picture,” said Maj. Gen. Brian Gibson, who oversaw the test.

US Army officials negotiated a deal with Israel back in 2019 for two Iron Dome batteries, which are manufactured and sold by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.

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The US army fires an Iron Dome rocket at targets in New Mexico (US Army)

The batteries were delivered to the States in late 2020, and this is the second full test of the equipment by the Army. It follows a similar test last week by US Marine Corps personnel in Israel.

Iron Dome equipment is intended to be used by American forces to intercept a wide range of projectiles, including subsonic cruise missiles as well as less advanced weapons.

Israel's primary use for the system is as a defensive measure against improvised rockets fired from Gaza toward Israeli civilian populations.