Overview
- Israel’s Defense Ministry and Rafael delivered the Or Eitan (Iron Beam) system to the Israeli Air Force in a ceremony at a Rafael facility, moving the program from development to operational service.
- The 100-kilowatt laser completed weeks of trials, successfully intercepting rockets, mortars, and drones, and officials say lower-power variants previously downed dozens of threats during the war.
- Iron Beam will be integrated into Israel’s layered air-defense network alongside Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, with a short engagement range of roughly 10 kilometers and reduced effectiveness in poor visibility.
- Officials emphasize the cost advantage, with laser shots costing only cents compared with interceptor missiles priced in the tens of thousands of dollars, helping conserve missile inventories for larger threats.
- Rafael says additional systems are already in production, with Elbit providing the laser source and other firms contributing components, and U.S. defense planners are watching the deployment for lessons on countering low-cost aerial threats.