Screen grab from the Israeli Ministry of Defense video.
On April 14, the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced that the Iron Beam air-defense system successfully shot down drones, rockets, mortars, and anti-tank guided missiles in a first series of tests during March.
The ministry released a video showing the laser-based air-defense system intercepting a rocket, a mortar and a drone at an undisclosed location in the Negev desert in southern Israel.
According to the ministry, Israel is one of the first countries to succeed in using laser technology to develop a working air-defense system and to demonstrate interceptions in operational scenarios.
“Every effort is being made to make the system operational as soon as possible and enable an efficient, inexpensive, and innovative protection umbrella,” Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on April 14.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett praised the successful tests of the Iron Beam system and revealed some details about its operational cost.
“The Iron Beam’s interceptions are silent, they’re invisible and they only cost around $3.50. We are turning the tables on terror,” the PM said in a statement. “I would like to thank the Ministry of Defense and the defense industries on this huge achievement.”
The Iron Beam is not meant to replace the Iron Dome or other Israeli air-defense systems, but to supplement and complement them. The laser-based system will reportedly shoot down smaller projectiles and leave larger ones for the more powerful missile-based air-defense systems.
On upside of the system is that it does not run out of ammunition as long as there is a constant source of energy. However, one of its downsides is that it does not function well in times of low visibility, including heavy cloud cover or other inclement weather.
Israel has spent hundreds of millions of shekels on the development and testing of the Iron Beam system, which will reportedly be deployed on the border with the Palestinian Gaza Strip for trails.
