The Iron Beam’s timely introduction will give Israel an even greater military edge over its hostile neighbors.

Israel’s top-tier air defense apparatus is about to get a major boost, as the country’s Iron Beam high-energy laser (HEL) short-range system will soon undergo sea trials. According to manufacturer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the impending tests will build on lessons learned from the ongoing multi-front war between Israel and Iran’s regional proxy armies. Since the Gaza-based Hamas terror group launched its October 2023 invasion, Israel has had to contend with an unprecedented level of drone, cruise missile, and ballistic missile barrages. While Israel’s Iron Dome, Arrow, and David’s Sling tiered air defense capabilities have successfully protected the nation from the vast majority of these attacks, the introduction of the Iron Beam will add a whole new level to Israel’s protection. Considering the nation’s proximity to hostile adversaries, any progress concerning the Iron Beam is critical.

The Story Behind the Iron Beam

Rafael first debuted its naval Iron Beam at IMDEX Asia in 2023. Like the land-based variant, the naval Iron Beam can be integrated into Israel’s existing air defense systems, like the Iron Dome. As explained by the Ran Gozali, Rafael’s executive vice president, head of the Land and Naval Systems Directorate, the Iron Beam is paramount to countering emerging threats: “Rafael’s naval portfolio is constantly growing, our systems are constantly upgraded and our focus on research and development is rapidly identifying new solutions to current and future challenges. Our exhibition at IMDEX provides a close look at RAFAEL’s excellence in providing the most precise solutions to the most pressing security challenges in the naval arena.”

While laser-energy weapons at first glance are often associated with science fiction, the Israelis have been evaluating the Iron Beam concept for more than two decades. The air defense system’s origins are actually connected to the U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative, formed under the Ronald Reagan administration in the 1980s. Dubbed the “Star Wars” program, this innovative study of new advanced weapons concepts, including lasers, was pretty novel at the time. However, since the technology wasn’t quite there during this time period to make this concept a reality, the program never came to fruition.

Israel only achieved the technology required to reveal the Iron Beam program in 2014 at the Singapore Air Show. While specs and details surrounding the endeavor remain highly classified, it is currently believed that the Iron Beam possesses a maximum effective range of up to seven kilometers and is capable of intercepting and destroying a range of projectiles with its twin high-energy fiber-optic cables. Other than the cutting-edge technologies that are incorporated into the Iron Beam, cost-saving measures also make this high-energy weapon preferable for Israel. While the Iron Dome’s interceptors are priced between $50,000 and $100,000 each, the Iron Beam will cost a fraction of this price. In fact, each Iron Dome interception will cost only a few dollars in electricity.

The Iron Beam’s timely introduction to service will undoubtedly give Israel an even greater military edge over its hostile neighbors.

About the Author: Maya Carlin

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.

Image: Keith C Lewis, Wikimedia Commons.

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