Israel is to deploy a laser interception system to protect itself from ground-launched and airborne threats within the next 12 months, the government announced on 1 February.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that the laser system, which was not named but would most likely be the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Iron Beam, will first be deployed in an experimental capacity before being rolled out operationally.
“Within about a year, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will implement a laser interception system, initially experimentally and then operationally. First in the south, and then elsewhere,” Bennett said. “This will allow us, in the medium to long term, to surround Israel with a laser wall that will protect us from missiles, rockets, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and other threats, and in fact take from the enemy the strongest card it has against us.”
First unveiled at the Singapore Airshow in 2014, Iron Beam is a mobile ground-based system that comprises an air defence radar, a command-and-control (C2) unit, and two high-energy laser (HEL) systems. The system can be configured in ISO shipping containers for mounting in a stationary location or on a truck or armoured vehicle, depending on the customer’s requirements.
Source: Janes