Iron Beam laser weapon to be ready by end of year, Israel says

System offers cheaper air defence alternative to Iron Dome, but has its limitations

Israel's existing Iron Dome system has been used to intercept thousands of rockets since the Gaza war broke out two years ago. AP

Israel says it has completed the development of a powerful laser weapon that will be in use by the end of the year to bolster the country’s air defences.

The 100-kilowatt Iron Beam laser has successfully intercepted drones, rockets, mortars and aircraft in a series of tests, Israel's Defence Ministry said. It will be integrated into the Iron Dome missile defence shield in the coming months, offering another layer of protection.

The Iron Dome has been used to intercept thousands of rockets fired by Hamas militants in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen since the Gaza war broke out two years ago.

But the current missile-based system costs tens of thousands of dollars per hit. The new laser technology has been touted as a cheaper way to repel drones and other projectiles, with each interception costing less than $5. However, the Iron Beam has numerous technical limitations and cannot work in cloudy weather.

“Now that the Iron Beam’s performance has been proven, we anticipate a significant leap in air defence capabilities through the deployment of these long-range laser weapon systems,” the ministry said.

Nations around the world have been pursuing similar systems to replace expensive munitions, but the technology has proven difficult to scale. Israel says it is the first to have such a weapon.

Rockets fired from Lebanon are intercepted by the Iron Dome system. Getty Images

“This is the first time in the world that a high-power laser interception system has reached full operational maturity,” said Defence Ministry director general Amir Baram.

Defence Minister Israel Katz hailed the “rapid, precise interception at marginal cost that joins our existing defence systems and changes the threat equation”.

Since the Gaza war erupted, Israel has been engaged in a multi-front conflict in which tens of thousands of projectiles have been fired at the country.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that if there was one lesson learnt from the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, it was that Israel needs to create an “independent weapons industry” that can “withstand international constraints”.