Israel's ground-based high-power laser defence system Iron Beam will be deployed by the end this year, reports claimed at a time the country's war with Hamas shows no signs of abatement.
The Iron Beam 450, co-developed by Elbit Systems and Rafael Advance Defense Systems, has proven effective during trials in intercepting rockets, mortars, aircraft and drones with "unmatched speed and precision". Once deployed, the system will cost exponentially lesser than Israel's existing missile defenses. It will also deliver an extended range, and will significantly ramp up scalability across land, sea and air.
The Iron Beam 450 will complement Iron Dome, David's Sling and Arrow anti-missile systems, which have been used to intercept thousands of rockets fired towards Israel by Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthis.
Defense Minister Israel Katz saying the Iron Beam "places the State of Israel at the forefront of global military technology and makes the State of Israel the first country to possess this capability". "This is not only a moment of national pride, but a historic milestone for our defense envelope: a fast, precise interception at marginal cost that joins the existing defensive tools and changes the threat equation," he said.
How It Works
The Iron Beam's laser heats up the target's shell, including its engine or warhead, until the projectile collapses, CNN reported. This differs from Israel's traditional means of destroying projectiles, where a radar identifies a threat and an interceptor missile engages and destroys it.
Significant Cost Reduction
According to Israeli media reports, the cost of a single Iron Dome interception is about $50,000, while the other systems can run more than $2 million per missile. Iron Beam 450 interceptions, by contrast, would cost a few dollars apiece, according to Israeli officials.
Pros And Cons
Soon to be deployed after nearly a decade of development, the $500 million Iron Beam will face no risk of running out of ammunition as long as there is a source of power. This places it as a potential game-changer in countering projectiles.
It can engage at the speed of light from a range of hundreds of meters to several kilometers.
On the flipside, the system does not function well in low visibility conditions, including cloud cover and inclement weather, according to the Times Of Israel
Other Versions of Iron Beam
Rafael has showcased other versions of the high-energy laser weapon systems, among them the Iron Beam M, which is a mobile version of the interceptor that can be mounted on a truck and used to protect strategic sites. The Lite Beam is lightweight and compact and can be mounted on armored personal carriers, while the a maritime version that can be deployed on Navy boats to protect assets at sea is under development.
Other Defence Systems Deployed By Israel
Iron Dome: This system shoots down short-range rockets with a success rate of over 90 per cent.
The Arrow: This system intercepts long-range missiles, including some kinds of ballistic missiles. It operates outside the atmosphere.
David's Sling: It intercepts medium-range missiles.
