'Game-changer'Gold said his motivation for designing Iron Dome was to "save lives" and "maintain the continuity of life in Israel".Even in times of crisis, with rockets raining down, he said he wanted people to "at least (be able) to go to work".The nature of the pandemic threat may be different, but Gold's motivations in combatting the virus are strikingly similar.Since developing Iron Dome, he has retired from the army and worked in the private sector before returning to the defence ministry as a civilian to lead its R&D directorate.In early March, during a meeting at Prime Minister's Benjamin Netanyahu's office, he realised the gravity of the coronavirus threat, he said.His department's coronavirus work has focused on three areas:.