Iron Beam laser defense system set for IDF launch

The Defense Ministry and Israel’s Rafael defense technology firm announced in September the completion of a series of successful trials of the Iron Beam system at a facility in southern Israel.

By JNS

Israel’s Iron Beam (“Magen Or” in Hebrew) laser defense system will begin defending against aerial threats at the end of the month, the country’s Defense Ministry announced on Monday.

“With development complete and a comprehensive testing program that has validated the system’s capabilities, we are prepared to deliver initial operational capability to the IDF on Dec. 30, 2025,” said Brig. Gen. (res.) Daniel Gold, head of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development at the Defense Ministry.

Speaking at the International DefenseTech Summit at Tel Aviv University, Gold said the system was a complement to the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow air defense systems, and “is expected to fundamentally change the rules of engagement on the battlefield.”

The system uses a 100-kilowatt laser to intercept rockets, mortars and UAVs at a range of more than 6 miles (10 kilometers), at a fraction of the cost of traditional interceptors. The estimated cost per firing is about $2 to $5, compared to $40,000 to $80,000 for a single Iron Dome interceptor.

The Iron Beam—to be renamed “Ohr Eitan” (“Eitan’s Light”) after Eitan Oster, who fell in battle in Lebanon and whose father was one of its developers—will be integrated into the Israel Defense Forces’ air defense array.

The Defense Ministry and Israel’s Rafael defense technology firm announced in September the completion of a series of successful trials of the Iron Beam system at a facility in southern Israel.

“The system proved its effectiveness in a complete operational configuration by intercepting rockets, mortars, aircraft and UAVs across a comprehensive range of operational scenarios,” they said in a joint statement at the time.

The Israeli military revealed in May that a smaller version of the laser defense system was tested in combat operations during the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, shooting down dozens of enemy drones. Most of the interceptions were of Hezbollah drones, but the system also downed UAVs on other fronts, according to the IDF.