IDF Inducts Iron Beam, World’s First Laser Air Defense System
The system “has an unlimited magazine, with almost zero cost per interception, and causes minimal collateral damage.”
Heralding a new era in modern warfare, the Israeli armed forces have inducted the world’s first laser air defense system, Iron Beam, into their arsenal. On Sunday, Israel’s Minister of Defense and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems handed over the system to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“Israel has achieved a major technological breakthrough in defense with the delivery of its first operational high-power laser system, “Or Eitan (Iron Beam), to the IDF,” Israel’s i24NEWS TV channel reported. “The handover took place Sunday at Rafael’s facility, with Defense Minister Israel Katz and senior military and industry officials in attendance.”
The laser-based system will not replace Iron Dome and other effective missile and drone interceptors, but will add to Israel’s air defense shield against aerial attacks. Iron Beam will be joining “Israel’s multi-layered air defense network, complementing the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow systems,” the broadcaster added.
Following a complex development process, the Israel MOD's DDR&D and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems delivered the first Iron Beam laser system to the IDF at an official ceremony held today at Rafael's headquarters in northern Israel.
Read More: https://t.co/2ljeE2CnAj pic.twitter.com/iDKHv8FVFB
— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) December 28, 2025
Developed by the Israeli defense company, Rafael, Iron Beam is regarded as a true game-changer, capable of intercepting a range of hostile projectiles at a minimal cost. The system “has an unlimited magazine, with almost zero cost per interception, and causes minimal collateral damage,” Rafael said on its website. “It quickly and effectively engages and neutralizes a wide array of threats from a range of hundreds of meters to several kilometers.”
The IDF, in a statement on Sunday, described Iron Beam as “a global technological and engineering breakthrough,” capable of taking out “a wide range of targets at an enhanced operational range, with maximum precision and superior efficiency – all at a negligible marginal cost.”
IDF receives its first operational 'Iron Beam' laser system, developed by Rafael and the Ministry of Defense.
The powerful system can intercept rockets, drones, and missiles, adding a new layer to the country’s multi-tiered air defense network.
📸 Spokesperson and Public… pic.twitter.com/4UTrGkZeUE— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) December 28, 2025
The Israeli business daily Globes reported Sunday:
After a complex development process, Israel’s Ministry of Defense Directorate of Defense R&D (DDR&D) (MAFAT) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems this morning delivered the first Iron Beam high energy laser defense system to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The system, which has proven its effectiveness in an extensive series of trials against a variety of threats, and has successfully intercepted rockets, mortars and drones, is being received by the Israel Air Force and integrated into Israel’s multi-layered defense system, as a complementary capability to the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and the Arrow air missile defense systems. (…)
Iron Beam represents a world-class technological and engineering breakthrough. It is a powerful laser system for protection against aerial threats (rockets, mortar bombs, unmanned aerial vehicles, etc.). The system is equipped with an advanced laser source and a unique electro-optical aiming system, which allows it to intercept a wide range of targets with an upgraded operating range, maximum accuracy and very high efficiency, all at a negligible cost – which is the main advantage of the laser system
The system is intended to complement Iron Dome, with both being operated from the same control vehicle. The Iron Dome is an interception system for rocket threats within a range of 40 kilometers, while Iron Beam will have a range of up to 10 kilometers, using a powerful laser beam with a power of about 100 kilowatts
Iron Beam has a major advantage over Iron Dome in terms of cost. While each interception by Iron Dome costs an estimated $30,000, an interception by Iron Beam will cost only about $5-10 per interception, due to the use of high energy. However, the laser has a significant decrease in effectiveness during cloudy and hazy conditions, Due to the challenges of the laser, and the different ranges, Iron Beam and Iron Dome will be deployed side by side. Iron Beam will be deployed at borders, population centers and strategic infrastructures to protect them from missiles, rockets, drones and mortars.
#BREAKING New Era in Missile Interception
Israel’s Ministry of Defense and Rafael have delivered IRON BEAM (Or Eitan), the world’s first operational high-powered laser air-defense system to the IDF.
After successful trials intercepting rockets, mortars, and UAVs, Iron Beam will… pic.twitter.com/p2GloylmNS
— גיא עזריאל Guy Azriel (@GuyAz) December 28, 2025
This Israeli breakthrough in warfare was born out of necessity. In recent years, Israel’s enemies — notably Hamas and Iran — have tried to overwhelm air defense systems, like the Iron Dome, by firing massive barrages of rockets and missiles.
Tens of thousands of missiles, rockets, and drones have been fired at Israel by Iran and its terrorist proxies since the Hamas-led October 7 massacre. “Over 30,000 rockets, missiles and various other projectiles have been fired at Israel during the course of this war,” Israel’s Ynetnews reported in June 2025.
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Comments
Laser weapons have been around for a while – the US actually has some of them.
Their problems are that 1) they don’t generally have very long range because they diffuse quickly, and 2) their very nature means that to do damage requires them to focus on a single point to transfer energy to that point and 3) they require UNGODLY amounts of power, increasing significantly the longer range they require.
To actually burn through a missile would require them to focus continuously on the missile, which to be fair generally do fire in a predictable flight, but that also means that they can only focus on ONE projectile at a time, as opposed to firing multiple projectiles that can track individually.
Its a decent idea, to be sure, but it would be pretty easy to overwhelm with large amounts of firings simultaneously, which is what Gaza and Iran have done already quite frequently. Because they have to focus one at a time and can’t move on until an incoming is destroyed, each laser wouldn’t be able to destroy more than a small handful in a salvo.
It’s an interesting idea, but I doubt it will be very practical.
Who said they need to “burn through” a missile? They just need to detonate it. And they don’t need to hold on a target if they fire a strong pulse — though I can see a lower-power targeting beam being used to verify they are on target, followed by the high-power pulse when they see the reflection of the targeting beam.
As it was with SDI, you don’t need a perfect solution — an imperfect solution increases the cost and risk of any attack. Iron Beam adds another layer to their defenses.
They need to come up with a technology to overcome the bad weather deficiencies because their enemies will certainly take note of that. We also need something to knock down ballistic missiles.
What? I thought the Jews already controlled the weather? Heck, a source as solid as the Iranian mullahs told me so!
Israel’s Iron Beam is not deployed as a FLoD. It is secondary to the Iron Dome.
The range of the 450 is 6.2 miles, the M reaches 4.3 miles, and the Lite about 2 miles.
Burn time depends on the laser model and target type; 3-16 seconds. Multiple beams can be aimed at a single target – efficient for larger incoming – and retargeting is nearly instant, such that a single 450 could take down 10 smallish drones in less than 50 seconds.
And FWIW, a little over a month ago the US Navy tested it’s HELIOS-150 laser, mounted on the USS Portland. The HELIOS can track 100 targets simultaneously.
It took down 22 drones in 9 seconds. Many were cut in half.
C’mon, guys! It doesn’t count unless it’s a Jewish Space Laser!
(But, in general, great to see.)
But it fires INTO space. That’s gotta count for something!
But Hamas has sharks with lasers!
Dr. Evil has returned!
Just a reminder that the idea that MTG said something about “Jewish space lasers” is exactly the same as the idea that Sarah Palin said she could see Russia from her home — a Democrat canard maliciously invented in order to ridicule a Republican. The tweet that MTG retweeted was stupid, but it didn’t say that.
It’s a pity it can’t be used to just fry terrorists.
Those would be phasers. We are almost there with their development.
McCoy was pretty careless with equipment from time to time. There might be one or two lying around somewhere.
You could probably cut one in half–or behead him. And it would take a whole lot less energy than needed to take out a missile. And you’d have zero collateral damage.
Inducts?
Still the question remains
Why did it take SEVEN hours to react to 10/7
Why
b/c the bad people know they are going to attack
response time is a practiced run and doesnt/cant always match reality
why did the usa take more than 2 hours to retaliate for 9 11?
the moment we were attacked and figured out it was arabs
the potus could have unleashed a full scale bombing of the saudis iran iraq turkey etc etc
necessity is the israel of all inventions
Dial the laser from “eye surgery” to “vaporize tank.”
Another layer to the defenses. Hopefully they won’t have to actually use it in the upcoming year.
I can imagine this will be very useful when facing swarms of low-cost drones.
They need to come up with a technology to overcome the bad weather deficiencies because their enemies will certainly take note of that. We also need something to knock down ballistic missiles.
Israel has Davids Sling and Arrow3 to intercept ballistic missiles. US also deployed a THAAD to Israel.
What bad weather? It’s usually moderate with little rain.
That’s odd. The English and Hebrew names bear no resemblance to each other. I suppose Iron Beam is a play on Iron Dome. But the Hebrew name means “steadfast light”.
Apparently system was initially called “Iron Beam” and later renamed “Magen Or” (“Shield of Light”) and the Hebrew name was officially changed to “Or Eitan” (“Eitan’s Light”) in September 2025 in memory of Captain Eitan Oster an officer in the IDF’s Egoz reconnaissance unit who was killed in combat in southern Lebanon. His father, Dov Oster was one of the key developers of the system.
This sounds like a colossal waste of money (who profited from this).
Spend your shekels on the things that go boom, and the weapons that eliminate threats before the enemy employs them.
HAPPY 2026!
I am waiting for it to be refined to a phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.