By Bloomberg
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Israel’s defence ministry said on Wednesday that it had completed the development of a powerful laser weapon that will become operational by the end of the year to bolster the country’s multilevel air defences.
The 100-kilowatt Iron Beam laser, developed by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems and Elbit Systems, successfully intercepted drones, rockets, mortars and aircraft in a series of tests in southern Israel, according to a ministry statement.
It will be integrated into the Iron Dome missile defence shield in the coming months, offering another layer of protection.
The ministry did not disclose the interception rate of the system, which has numerous technical limitations and cannot work in cloudy weather.
The technology has been touted as a cheaper way to repel drones and other projectiles, with each interception costing less than US$5. Current missile-based systems run tens of thousands of dollars per hit.
Nations around the world have been pursuing directed-energy weapons to replace expensive munitions, but the technology has proven difficult to scale.
Israel says it is the first over the finish line with its new system, but the status of other nations’ projects is not clear.
Defence Minister Israel Katz, in a statement, hailed the “rapid, precise interception at marginal cost that joins our existing defence systems and changes the threat equation”. Israel earlier this year acknowledged using a less powerful version of the system in combat.
Since Hamas operatives crossed into Israel two years ago, killing 1,200 and abducting 250 while firing 3,000 missiles, the country has been engaged in a multi-front war in which tens of thousands of projectiles have been fired at it. Developing an inexpensive and effective laser shield could prove significant.
Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has killed some 65,000 people and destroyed vast portions of the coastal enclave, drawing global condemnation.
The laser announcement came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that as a result of increased isolation Israel must pursue security independence.
