Defence Technology
Laser Missile Defence System - Successful Israeli Test
Deployable on land, in the air and at sea; complements Iron Dome, Arrow and David’s Sling in layered defences
The new laser missile defence system announced by Israel in April 2022 has passed tests to hit mortars, rockets and anti-tank missiles. This builds on previous successful tests to hit UAVs.
The High-Power Laser System known as ‘Iron Beam’ will complement Israel’s multi-tier missile defense array including the expensive Iron Dome.
Iron Dome
The Iron Dome is one of several layers of missile defense that Israel has developed to protect its citizens from attack. Israel’s layer-cake approach to air defence includes the Arrow (long-range), David’s Sling (intermediate-range), and Patriot (short-range) systems.
The Iron Dome is a mobile air defense system is used to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 kilometers to 70 kilometers away. It uses expensive rocket technology.
The Iron Dome is not perfect, however. It cannot intercept all incoming rockets. Iron Dome is a successful technology and has been sold to the United States.
Arrow
The Israeli Arrow missile defence system was designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles.
The hypersonic (Mach 9) Arrow system has been continuously upgraded and improved since it was first developed in the early 1990s, and is currently capable of intercepting ballistic missiles at ranges of 90–150 km and above the atmosphere.
David’s Sling
The system’s ‘Stunner’ multi-stage missile is designed to intercept the newest generation of tactical ballistic missiles at low altitude, such as the Russian Iskander and the Chinese DF-15
David’s Sling has a declared range of 160 km+ and replaces the US built ‘Patriot’.
And now Iron Beam
Laser technology. Transportable on a small trailer or patrol boat, flyable in a plane. Needing only electrical power and with a declared range of 7 km.
It was successfully tested on UAVs in 2020, but now it has been refined further and has successfully destroyed targets including mortar rounds, rockets and anti-tank missiles.
And it is cheap to run.
“This may sound like science-fiction, but it’s real,” said Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in a statement. “The Iron Beam’s interceptions are silent, they’re invisible and they only cost around $3.50” apiece, he added.
Here’s the link to the official video:
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