Iron Beam: Israel's new shield
As Hezbollah intensifies its attacks, Israel is preparing to deploy its new defence system: Iron Beam. Using a system of high-powered lasers, the new Israeli defence mechanism will provide new robust and wide-ranging solutions against Hezbollah and Iranian attacks at a cost 10 to 15 times less than the Tamir missiles of the current Iron Dome.
Scheduled to become operational in 2026, in the face of intense Iranian and Hezbollah terrorist militia attacks, the Jewish State's Defence Ministry approved a package of more than $530 million to accelerate the process.
As a complement to the Iron Dome, this new system is expected to be operational by early 2025, as confirmed by the defence ministry's director general, Eyal Zamir. It will primarily help detect and deter rocket, missile and drone attacks of all kinds.
‘The combination of laser interception and missile interception will further strengthen protection against rockets, missiles, drones, cruise missiles and other threats,’ Zamir stressed. ‘The first ground-based laser system capability is expected to enter operational service within a year. Our main goal is to reduce dependence on external sources and strengthen Israeli industry,’ he added.
Developed by Israeli companies Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems, a world leader in high-power laser technology, the new Iron Beam will, in the words of Elbit CEO Bezhael Machlis, ‘mark a before and after in the nature of defence systems worldwide’.
The contract for the new defence system is worth $536 million, with one $200 million package awarded to Elbit Systems and a second $336 million for Rafael. Both budgets include the effort dedicated to the supply of materials and acceleration in order to implement the new system as soon as possible, since each use of the new laser costs more than $20,000.
This expenditure is part of Israel's more than $5.2 billion defence budget. This budget is supported by more than $8.7 billion from its US partners. The agreement between the ministry and Rafael and Elbit will ‘significantly increase’ the rate of production ‘in order to deliver the laser systems on time and at a high rate’.
The capabilities of the new system include detection of enemy projectiles at 2,000 metres and a laser power of up to 100 kilowatts (kW), 10 times greater than that used in the aerospace industry. Although dedicated to shooting down ordnance at close range, the new system will greatly limit the collateral damage of the existing Iron Dome.
With millimetre accuracy, the Iron Beam will improve the hit rate of current defence systems, which already have a hit rate of more than 90 %. Thanks to the accuracy of this new system, current weather conditions will no longer be an obstacle to intercepting missiles from Iran, Lebanon or Yemen.
With the implementation of this new system, tested three years ago in the southern desert, Israel's defence, known to be one of the most efficient in the world, will have a triple defence system consisting of the Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 defensive missiles, the Iron Dome and the new Iron Beam.
