Israel’s defense ministry announced Monday that it had acquired a new laser beam system for downing projectiles — one that will not replace the Iron Dome missiles, but will run alongside it, and that will be much cheaper to operate.
Iron Beam looks like something out of a science fiction movie, but it is real. Developed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems, with U.S. contractor Lockheed Martin joining in 2022, it will be operational in 2025.
Israel’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement:
The Israel Ministry of Defense signed a landmark deal worth approximately NIS 2 billion (over $500 million) yesterday (Sunday) to expand serial production of Israel’s first domestically developed laser interception system, the Iron Beam, with lead developers Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems.
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Iron Beam is a ground-based high-power laser air defense system designed to counter aerial threats, including rockets, mortars, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and cruise missiles. The Ministry of Defense’s (IMod) DDR&D’s R&D Unit leads the project with primary developers Rafael and Elbit Systems. The Iron Beam system represents a global technological breakthrough, with its impressive interception capabilities demonstrated through a series of successful trials. The system is expected to integrate into Israel’s multi-layered defense array as a complementary capability to the Iron Dome system. This integration will significantly enhance Israel’s defense capabilities against current and future threats while offering substantially lower operational costs.
The Times of Israel cautions that the Iron Beam has not performed well in “inclement weather,” and that it is already more than a year overdue. Still, it will allow Israel to counter future threats — and will be used by the U.S. as well.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days, available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency, now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
