Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has delivered its Iron Beam laser system to the Israel Defense Forces, a weapon its makers say could fundamentally change the economics of air defense by reducing the cost per interception to near zero.
As "Hvylya" reports, citing the Financial Times, Rafael described the system as a "fundamental shift in the defense equation - maximum precision, superior efficiency, negligible cost per interception."
The delivery comes as the drone and missile wars in the Middle East and Ukraine have exposed the crippling cost asymmetry of traditional air defense. The Stimson Center's Kelly Grieco has documented a dramatic spending imbalance, with Gulf states paying orders of magnitude more per interception than Iran spent on each attacking drone.
Iron Beam is not alone in the race. Britain's DragonFire laser - led by MBDA alongside Qinetiq and Leonardo - is set for deployment on Royal Navy ships by 2027, promising a cost of roughly £10 per shot. France's Thales is leading a consortium developing "RapidDestroyer," which uses high-power radio frequency to disable drone electronics at a distance.
Paul Gray, head of business development for advanced weapons at Qinetiq, said the reason so many countries are investing in the capability is that it is a "repeatable defensive system that can keep engaging." Unlike traditional missile-based interceptors, lasers do not run out of ammunition as long as they have power.
Also read: Hezbollah Launches 100-Rocket Barrage at Northern Israel.