Israel’s ‘Iron Beam’ lasers can neutralize missiles instantly, ending runs to bomb shelters

The Defense Ministry revealed that it used the Lite Beam to shoot down 40 Hezbollah drones throughout 2024.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has unveiled a new line of lasers that could potentially eliminate threats before they leave enemy territory, making running to bomb shelters a distant memory.

The family of advanced lasers– Iron Beam, Iron Beam M, and Lite Beam–can shoot down missiles at lightning speeds.

Lasers travel much faster than any interceptor currently in Israel’s arsenal and can deal with threats instantly.

The only time seeking shelter will be necessary is if there is a malfunction or somehow the laser missed its target.

Rafael expects to display its new line of lasers at a conference in Paris in ten days.

The Lite Beam can be positioned on ground vehicles and fires a 10 kW beam.

The Iron Beam M can be mounted on trucks and emits a 250 mm, 50 kW beam.

The full-size Iron Beam is intended to remain in one place and fires a 450 mm. 100 kW beam.

Although other defense companies in other countries are also developing lasers for missile defense, only Rafael in Israel has implemented these lasers in actual combat.

The Defense Ministry revealed that it used the Lite Beam to shoot down 40 Hezbollah drones throughout 2024.

The current lasers are intended for use on the ground. Still, Rafael admitted that adapting the technology for planes may be more complicated, given the interference, dust, debris, and winds that can affect the laser’s functioning.

The other drawback of aerial lasers is that they are more likely to hit unintended targets than those that are grounded or placed on vehicles.

Rafael’s laser system offers significant savings over Iron Dome, with lasers costing just $3 for every drone or missile neutralized, compared to Iron Dome’s $40,000 per interceptor.

Lasers also involve simpler logistics than Iron Dome, as they do not require additional equipment to move and store.