The Israel Ministry of Defense (IMoD) has signed a deal valued at approximately NIS2bn ($536.46m) to boost the serial production of Iron Beam, the country's laser interception system.
In a Facebook post, the IMoD said that the deal was signed with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems.
The air defence system, developed by Rafael and Elbit, is engineered to neutralise a range of aerial threats, including rockets, mortars, uncrewed aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles. The project is spearheaded by the IMoD's Directorate of Defense Research & Development R&D Unit (MAFAT).
Ministry of Defense director general major general Eyal Zamir said: "The ‘Iron Beam’ agreement is among the most strategic we’ve signed, ushering in a new era in battlefield technology—the laser era. The first operational deployment of this ground-based laser system, developed in collaboration between MAFAT, major defence industries, and startup companies, is expected to go into service within the coming year."
Iron Beam is a 100kW-class high energy laser weapon system that can be integrated with various platforms and includes the ability to be a part of any multi-layered defence system.
The system is predicted to be incorporated into Israel's multi-tiered defence strategy, strengthening the existing Iron Dome system.
This enhancement is anticipated to bolster Israel's defensive posture against both present and future dangers, while also promising to reduce operational costs significantly.
The contract also encompasses continuous support services.
Elbit Systems president and CEO Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis said: “As Israel's Laser Center and a global leader in high-power laser technology, Elbit Systems congratulates on the significant progress made in the "Iron Beam" project and is proud of its contribution to its success.
“The capabilities developed at Elbit Systems represent a leap forward in future defence against various threats.”
In 2023, a video that went viral, allegedly showing the Iron Beam system downing Hamas missiles, and was later identified as footage from Arma 3, a military simulation video game.
The video was initially shared on X (formerly Twitter) by an account that was believed to be associated with Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency.
