Israel is preparing a laser shield — in five years, Iran's missiles will burn up in the sky

Lasers instead of missiles: cheap protection against cheap threats

Michael Edelstein of Elbit Systems said that Israel's laser systems will be ready for full-scale use in less than five years. Already, on-board laser installations for fighter jets are in the final stages of development. And the Rafael Iron Beam ground-based system has passed real combat tests and will soon enter service with the Israel Defense Forces.

The bottom line is simple: instead of spending millions on interceptor missiles, shoot down cheap missiles and drones with a laser for pennies.

Iron Beam is already working — and it hits exactly

The Iron Beam is not a prototype. It has already been used in conditions close to combat, and has shown high efficiency. The system is capable of intercepting missiles, artillery shells and drones at short ranges. Unlike the Iron Dome, which spends $50-100 thousand per interception, the laser costs only a few dollars per shot.

It works according to the principle: aimed — turned on — burned. And it can work continuously as long as there is electricity.

Onboard lasers for fighter jets are already in development

Elbit is currently completing the creation of compact laser installations that can be installed directly on fighter jets, for example, on the F-16 or future F-35I. This will allow the aircraft to defend against surface–to-air missiles and even attack ground targets.

Imagine: a fighter is flying, sees MANPADS, and destroys it with one pulse. No rocket launch, no noise, no smoke. Just a light, and the target disappears.

Why does this change everything

Israel is currently spending billions on missile defense, but the threat is growing: Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas are all actively using missiles and drones. Lasers are not just a new weapon, they are a change in the defense economy.

One Iron Beam will be able to intercept hundreds of targets per day. And a network of such systems will make the country virtually invulnerable to massive attacks. And most importantly, it costs many times less than current systems.

Sources

1. Rossiyskaya Gazeta — how Israel plans to use lasers to destroy incoming missiles
2. Lenta.ru — Israel to field Iron Beam laser; contract details & performance
3. Building-Tech.org — Iron Beam laser shield for intercepting & destroying air threats
4. Wikipedia — Iron Beam mine & drone interception laser weapon
5. Lechaim.ru (via Ynetnews) — first combat intercept of Hezbollah drones with Iron Beam
6. Aurora Israel — world-first operational Iron Beam intercept, Israel’s technological milestone

Israel has successfully completed extended trials of the upgraded David's Sling system in the Iron Swords War

 

The Israeli Defense Ministry recently announced the successful completion of a series of serious tests of the David's Sling air defense and missile defense system, which helped make it even more reliable and effective in the difficult conditions of the current war, known as "Iron Swords." The tests were conducted as part of planned flight tests led by the Israeli missile defense organization IMDO, with the support of the Defense Research and Development Authority and in active collaboration with the Americans from the Missile Defense Agency and Rafael, which developed the system.

During the tests, David's Sling worked out combat scenarios that are as similar as possible to real threats — this is how they tested how the system would react to medium-range missiles and various aerial targets. The missiles of the complex have two types of guidance, which helps to accurately shoot down targets in any weather and under different conditions.

David's Sling occupies a niche in Israel's overall defense system, between the Iron Dome, which operates at short range, and large systems at long range. Thanks to the latest updates, it is becoming a more powerful and reliable element of defense.

This is a very important step for Israel, because today the country is facing a great missile threat. The better the system works, the calmer people will be and the stronger the protection of strategically important facilities. Working together with the United States and companies like Rafael helps to improve technologies and make them more efficient.

Romania has chosen the Rafael Spyder short-range and ultra-short-range air defense system for €1.9 billion

The Romanian Ministry of Defense has announced the selection of the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems as the winner of the tender for the purchase of a short- and ultra-short-range air defense system (V/SHORAD). The total value of the contract is estimated at 1.9 billion euros (about 2.2 billion dollars).

According to preliminary data, the selected system is the Spyder complex, which provides effective protection against low—flying aerial targets, including airplanes, helicopters, drones and short-range missiles. Spyder combines medium-range and short-range missiles with modern detection and guidance systems, which allows for rapid response to threats.

Although the official agreement between the Romanian Ministry of Defense and Rafael has not yet been signed, the defense ministry's statement emphasizes that the decision has been made and the signing of the contract is a formal procedure.

Spyder 

Rafael announced the first successful combat use of the Iron Ray laser system

 

 Iron Ray

The Israeli defense company Rafael has announced the world's first successful combat use of a high-energy laser. Presumably, we are talking about the Iron Ray missile defense system, designed to intercept and destroy ultra-short-range missiles. Directed energy weapons were first used in real conditions during the Middle East conflict in 2024.

The history of the use of lasers in military operations began in the 1960s - during the Vietnam War, lasers were used as target designators and rangefinders. In the Falklands War of 1982, they were used to temporarily disorient the enemy. However, laser weapons were not used to disable objects in real combat. So far, the case has been limited to field trials.

However, this was bound to happen sooner or later, and the current military conflicts provide defense companies with an excellent opportunity to show the effectiveness of their developments in practice. Yesterday, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems announced on the X network that the company's laser system has been tested by combat, demonstrating high accuracy and effectiveness of intercepting targets at various distances: "For the first time in history, high-energy laser systems have been used to intercept aerial targets in combat. This unprecedented breakthrough occurred during 'The Iron Sword Wars.'"

The company does not say where or when this happened. However, according to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the incident occurred in 2024. Then the laser systems managed to intercept dozens of UAVs and missiles launched by members of the Shiite organization Hezbollah. The development of these systems was carried out under the leadership of the Ministry of Defense with the involvement of specialists from the Rafael concern.

We are talking about prototypes of the Rafael laser system, on the basis of which a more powerful "Iron Beam" was created, a missile defense system that should strengthen the "Iron Dome" over Israel. Its power is 100 kW and its range is 10 km. It is capable of operating in all weather conditions and integrates with existing air defense systems. This makes it a universal tool for protecting both military installations and civilian infrastructure.

Rafael plans to further improve the Iron Ray, increasing its power and expanding the range of intercepted targets. In parallel, negotiations are underway to supply the complex to other states.

India has recently become one of the countries with laser weapons. In April, energy weapons developed by Indian engineers at domestic enterprises were tested.

Israel's Iron Ray missile defense system is preparing for crucial tests

 Iron Beam

The flagship of the Israeli military industry, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, will soon conduct crucial tests of the Iron Beam tactical laser missile defense system. This innovative system is designed to intercept ultra—short-range missiles - up to 10 kilometers, as well as to combat mortar shells and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The Iron Ray uses a powerful laser beam with a power of about 100 kilowatts, which focuses on the target, causing it to heat up and destroy. The system is capable of automatically detecting and defeating threats using artificial intelligence-based algorithms, which ensures high reaction speed and accuracy. The main advantage of the Iron Beam is its cost-effectiveness: the cost of a single laser shot is only 5-10 dollars, while launching an Iron Dome rocket system costs about 30 thousand dollars.

Tests scheduled for 2025 will determine the possibility of adopting the system for the IDF in the last quarter of this year. The main technical difficulty remains the attenuation of the laser beam due to weather conditions - clouds, fog and rain reduce the efficiency of the system. In addition, the Iron Beam is capable of hitting only one target at a time, which requires its integration with other air defense systems, such as the Iron Dome, for comprehensive protection against massive attacks.

The system is available in three versions: mobile, stationary and marine, which expands the possibilities of its application. There has already been interest in Iron Beam from countries such as the USA, Singapore and the UAE, which indicates the high international potential of this technology.

The Iron Ray will be an important addition to Israel's existing air defense systems, strengthening protection against missile and drone threats and reducing defense costs. Development began in the early 2010s, and the first combat tests took place in 2022, including the successful interception of a mortar shell.

Thus, Iron Beam represents a technological breakthrough in the field of directed energy weapons and sets new standards in missile defense.

General Atomics and Rafael team up to produce long-range Bullseye missile

The Bullseye rocket

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Israeli defense contractor Rafael for the production of a new long-range, high-precision Bullseye attack missile in the United States.

The Bullseye rocket will be capable of launching from the air, land and sea. It will use a design similar to that used in the Rafael Ice Breaker rocket. GA-EMS will become the main contractor for the production of a missile that will meet the specifications of the US Armed Forces and provide launch capabilities from various platforms to effectively hit targets at long range.

Bullseye is at Technology Readiness Level 8 (TRL 8), which means that the technology in the rocket has already been tested in practice. The rocket will be equipped with a very low observable (VLO) and integrated systems for control and navigation. This will allow Bullseye to provide high accuracy of hitting targets in various conditions.

Cooperation between GA-EMS and Rafael within the Bullseye project will reduce the risks and costs of development, as well as ensure the mass production of high-performance rockets with significant savings per unit. The Bullseye missiles will be manufactured at the GA-EMS plant in Tupelo, Mississippi, which specializes in manufacturing complex systems for U.S. national security.