Is Israel's Iron Beam the world's most powerful laser defense system?

November 1, 2024 by Dean Shmuel

An Israeli-made laser system which aims to intercept incendiary balloons launched by Palestinians across the frontier from the Gaza Strip is seen during a presentation to the media, in southern Israel, near the Israel-Gaza border August 30, 2020.

What is the system, and what are its advantages and disadvantages, and does it constitute the future of Israel's air defenses?

The missile and drone threat that Israel has been facing over the past year on many fronts, is being handled by a series of different defense systems that "communicate" with each other. It is based on the multi-layered defense system that has been developed in recent years with the investment of billions of dollars. A powerful weapon that is going to be added to the Israeli defense system is interception using a laser beam.

The Iron Beam project received a significant boost with the signing of a NIS 2 billion deal by Defense Ministry Director General General (res.) Eyal Zamir to expand serial production of the laser interception system.

As part of the deal, Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE:ESLT) received a $200 million contract from the Ministry of Defense for the supply of the laser, while Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is responsible for the launcher.

What is the system, and what are its advantages and disadvantages, and does it constitute the future of Israel's air defenses?

What is the system and when will it be operational?

Iron Beam is a powerful laser solution, developed for increased protection against a variety of threats. It is a powerful ground-based laser system for defense against aerial threats including rockets, mortar bombs, drones and cruise missiles. The Ministry of Defense's Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) (Mafat) is leading the project together with Rafael and Elbit.

The system is a technological breakthrough on a global scale, which has already demonstrated interception capabilities in a series of trials. Despite the significant rocket and drone threat to Israel in the war in general and at the present time in particular, the system will still take time to be operational. Rafael has said in recent months that the system is expected to be operational in the second half of 2025; Zamir said on Tuesday that it is "expected to be operational in a year from today."

Head of Israel Border Police, Yaakov Shabtai, presents a laser system which aims to intercept incendiary balloons launched by Palestinians across the frontier from the Gaza Strip, to the media during a presentation in southern Israel, near the Israel-Gaza border August 30, 2020. (credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)

Will Iron Beam replace Iron Dome?

No. They will be complementary systems. Iron Dome is an interception system for rocket threats up to a range of 40 kilometers. Iron Dome is designed as a complementary system for a range of up to 10 kilometers through a powerful 100-kilowatt laser beam. The major advantages that Iron Beam will provide in its role in Israel's air defense system is in major savings in costs.

What will be the cost of each interception?

Each interception by Iron Dome costs Israel about $30,000, and some of them can be replaced by Iron Beam. Although the Ministry of Defense has not revealed the cost of interceptions by Iron Beam, it is possible to understand how much it might cost from the systems operated by other countries. The cost of an interception by South Korea's Block I, which has a range of three kilometers and a 20-kilowatt laser beam, costs just $1.5 for each interception. The cost of each interception by the UK's DragonFire is estimated at $13, and the system's beam has a power of 50 kilowatts.

So what do we know about the cost?

Iron Beam is unique in its power, 100 kilowatts, which reflects the strength of the beam and accordingly a higher price. The more powerful the beam is, the more threats it can face.

Is the deal profitable for Elbit and Rafael?

Elbit is a prominent player in the Israeli and global laser market and is expected to benefit from a product that will expand its portfolio of services. All the more so when it comes to a market in Israel where the system is regularly proven in warfare — a unique "privilege" that benefits Israeli defense companies. From Rafael's point of view, if the Iron Beam system works, then fewer Iron Dome interceptors will be needed. On the other hand, each Iron Beam launcher costs much more than the cost of the interceptor itself and therefore in the long term Rafael is expected to benefit from further revenue growth.

What are the leading countries in laser interception systems?

South Korea announced in July that it was starting serial production of its Block I laser defense system. Although it went into production ahead of Iron Beam, Block I has a shorter range (3 kilometers) and much weaker power (20 kilowatts).

Unlike the Koreans, the UK is lagging behind Israel with its DragonFire system, which completed a successful trial at the start of the year in Scotland. The UK has invested pound100 million ($130 million) in the project, while the Koreans invested $132 million in their project.

Three weeks ago, the TWZ website reported that the Chinese laser defense system Shen Nung was deployed during a public appearance in Tehran by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to the report the system is designed to dazzle drones and even intercept them in certain circumstances. She Nung's radar can identify threats up to a range of five kilometers, while the laser beam has a power of 10-20 kilowatts. It can dazzle drones at a range of three kilometers and intercept them at a range of 1.5 kilometers. The laser can be operated for 200 seconds and then requires five minutes to recharge.

What are the disadvantages of using the laser beam?

Laser interception has several disadvantages, the first of which is that cloudy weather, haze, and mist restrict its activity. "Another disadvantage of a laser is that the atmosphere absorbs about 30-40% of it, so from a range of 5-8 km, its effectiveness decreases," explains Dr. Yehoshua Kalisky, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and an expert on laser, electro-optics and sensor technologies. "Another shortcoming is that it works on the basis of heating the target, which requires dwelling on the target for 3-7 seconds. The laser works through a beam that passes through the target. So if there is a barrage, only one threat can be dealt with unless the beams can be split, and it is not certain that this is the case. Beyond that, the laser is not a single beam; it is emitted from several units, and they are combined into one beam. During the unification, the brightness is lost because each unit emits in different colors and timings, and they must be merged into one point."

Does the system represent the future of air defense?

The future of air defense lies, it seems, in the field of microwaves, alongside lasers. Such defense systems have been developed in the US Air Force and Navy, as well as in the private sector. These non-kinetic electromagnetic means of attack neutralize electronic components critical to the enemy's means of attack using microwaves.

"The military microwave is still in the development stage, but its great advantage is that the microbeam (as opposed to the laser) is focused and can attack more targets," explains Dr. Kalisky. "On the other hand, it is more effective for electronic and optical components and less for a ballistic missile.