Israel's Iron Beam laser air defense system enters service, supplementing Iron Dome against rocket and drone attacks.

According to a report on the website dated Month Day, Year, on Month Day, Year, the Israeli Ministry of Defense and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems held a ceremony to officially deliver the first operational "Iron Beam" high-power laser air defense system to the Israel Defense Forces.

The system's Hebrew name is " ", in honor of Captain Eitan Ost, an Israel Defense Forces officer who fell in southern Lebanon. His father, one of the system's developers, attended the ceremony. The system will be received by the Israeli Air Force and integrated into Israel's multi-layered air defense system as a complement to the "Iron Dome," "David's Sling," and "Arrow" missile defense systems.

The development of the "Iron Beam" system spanned over a decade. It was led by the research and development unit under the Israeli Ministry of Defense's Directorate of Defense Research and Development, with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems serving as the main contractor. Elbit Systems was responsible for providing the laser source, while other Israeli defense companies such as Shafrir Systems also contributed key subsystems. In [Month] [Year], its prototype system conducted a public test, successfully intercepting a drone. The system made its first public appearance at the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting in [Month] [Year]. During the ongoing war in Israel, the Iron Beam prototype was deployed in combat and successfully intercepted dozens of threats, accumulating practical operational experience. On [Month] [Day], [Year], Eyal Zamir, Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, announced the signing of contracts with relevant companies, expecting Iron Beam to enter operational service within a year. After entering [Year], the development process accelerated significantly. On [Month] [Day], [Year], the project team announced the successful completion of a series of final tests conducted over several weeks at a facility in Israel's southern Negev Desert. These tests simulated comprehensive combat scenarios and successfully intercepted various targets including rockets, mortar shells, aircraft, and drones. By [Month] [Year], the system officially entered mass production, with Rafael confirming that multiple follow-on systems were already in production.

The "Iron Beam" system is a kilowatt-class ground-based mobile high-energy laser weapon system that employs Rafael Advanced Defense Systems' proprietary "adaptive optics" technology. By dynamically adjusting the laser beam to compensate for atmospheric disturbances, it maintains beam stability and precision over long distances. According to Yuval Steinitz, Chairman of Rafael, the Iron Beam does not rely on a single high-energy beam. Instead, it emits hundreds of "coin-sized" small beams, which are guided and feedback-controlled by algorithms to gradually concentrate energy on the vulnerable points of the target, ultimately achieving destruction. The system is equipped with an advanced electro-optical targeting and tracking suite, providing robust capabilities for target acquisition, tracking, and engagement. The effective interception range of the "Iron Beam" is approximately several kilometers, enabling it to intercept short-range rockets, mortar shells, drones, and loitering munitions. The estimated cost per laser firing is only a few dollars, in stark contrast to the tens of thousands of dollars per interceptor missile used by the "Iron Dome" system. As long as there is a continuous power supply, an effective cooling system, and an unobstructed line of sight, the system can perform nearly unlimited interceptions, thereby countering large-scale and prolonged aerial attacks.

The Iron Beam laser air defense system family currently includes three models, with the most powerful being the Iron Beam–Laser, which features longer range, higher accuracy, and faster engagement speed, providing wide-area coverage and the capability to intercept high-speed threats in complex scenarios. The Iron Beam– (Iron Beam–) Compact Mobile Tactical Laser is specifically designed to protect ground forces and strategic locations, offering easy deployment and delivering precise, cost-effective laser interception for forward-deployed troops. The is a kilowatt-class tactical mobile laser system designed to counter consumer-grade micro-drones and ground targets, such as improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance. It can be integrated with any detection or counter-drone system to destroy targets at distances ranging from several hundred meters to a maximum of meters.

The "Iron Beam" laser system will operate in close coordination with the existing Iron Dome air defense system, sharing the same command and control unit. The system will automatically and intelligently assign engagements to either the laser or traditional interceptor missiles based on factors such as threat type, distance, and weather conditions. The "Iron Beam" can handle a large number of low-cost, low-complexity threats, thereby reserving expensive high-performance interceptor missiles for high-value targets that exceed the laser's effective range or are difficult to intercept under adverse weather conditions. The system features high mobility and compactness, making it suitable for deployment on the front lines. It is designed to operate effectively in moderate rain and has withstood tests in strong winds of up to level 10 intensity. However, the effectiveness of laser weapons can be significantly reduced in severe weather conditions such as heavy rain, dense fog, or thick smoke due to beam scattering, necessitating supplementary interception methods.

The delivery and deployment of the "Iron Beam" system will have a profound impact on Israel's air defense operational system and defense economy, reducing the cost of air defense operations and making it more economical to defend against large-scale rocket and drone salvos. It also adds an efficient and low-cost interception layer to Israel's missile defense network, significantly enhancing the sustained operational capability of the air defense system. Meanwhile, Rafael continues to showcase various variants of the Iron Beam, including mobile independent systems and naval versions, at trade shows in the United States, Singapore, the UAE, and other locations, aiming to secure foreign trade orders with full confidence!