Israel develops new laser system to bolster its missile defense by year's end

Israel's Ministry of Defense reported Wednesday that a low-cost, high-powered laser system designed to destroy incoming missiles has successfully completed its tests and will be ready for operational use by the Israeli army by the end of the year. The laser system called Iron Beam was designed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems. The ministry explained that this will be used to complement the Arrow, David's Sling and Iron Dome anti-missile systems, which have been crucial over the past few years in intercepting attacks by both the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

"Now that the performance of the Iron Beam has been demonstrated, we anticipate a significant leap in air defense capabilities through the deployment of these long-range laser weapon systems," the ministry said. Different media outlets have revealed that the missile interceptors currently available to the Jewish state cost around $50,000 each, while the cost of lasers would be close to zero, taking into account that such a system will mainly target both drones and small missiles.

In a statement, the director general of Israel's Defense Ministry, Amir Baram, said that what has been achieved with the laser system represents a milestone, as there are no precedents. "It is the first time in the world that a high-power laser interception system has reached full operational maturity," explained Baram, who added that such a system will serve to strengthen the country's defense.

For his part, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems president Yuval Steinitz detailed in another statement that this new Iron Beam laser system uses the company's adaptive optical technology, adding that this "will undoubtedly be a revolutionary system with an unprecedented impact on modern warfare."