\n<\/strong>In an interview on Nadav Perry\u2019s podcast, Yuval Steinitz, Chairman of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, revealed that the groundbreaking laser technology, “Iron Beam”, will enter operational use by the end of 2025.<\/p>\n
Steinitz, a former minister, described the laser system as a technological breakthrough of historic and global significance. He emphasized that while world powers have spent 60 years attempting to develop laser weapons, none have succeeded in creating an effective system. He underlined the development by noting that, until now, there has been no fully functional laser weapon in the world. The best achieved so far is the ability to down slow-moving objects, such as drones and small boats, from a few hundred meters away.<\/p>\n
Steinitz explained that the main obstacle to laser weaponry lies in its natural dispersion through the air. A laser is an extremely energetic beam of light, but it spreads out in the atmosphere. You can use it to cut steel or perform surgery\u2014but only at a range of a few centimeters. In the air, it disperses gradually. After a few hundred meters, it becomes significantly weaker; after a kilometer, it almost fades away.<\/p>\n Challenges and Breakthroughs Rafael Did Not Give Up Essentially, Rafael\u2019s scientists created a high-tech target range. Steinitz explained that the system identifies which laser beam is hitting the target most effectively and instantly adjusts all other beams to match its frequency. At lightning speed, all beams are recalibrated to act as a single, focused force. This process, known as \u2018adaptive optics,\u2019 allows air distortions to be minimized and concentrates maximum energy on the target, destroying it instantly. This process is repeated continuously to maintain a lethal and precise impact.<\/p>\n Interception Cost: Less Than $5 Rafael has already conducted advanced tests, successfully shooting down missiles and mortar shells within seconds. The laser will complement the Iron Dome system, with Steinitz predicting that most interceptions against rockets from Gaza and Lebanon will be handled by the new technology.\u00a0 Steinitz emphasized that the financial equation will be reversed, since with the integration of the Iron Beam, Israel\u2019s enemies will face an almost unlimited defense system, at a negligible cost.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Israel\u2019s laser-based defense system is expected to significantly enhance the country\u2019s interception capabilities while drastically reducing the cost of air defense.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":15899,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,7],"tags":[3055,2777,1930,3054],"class_list":["post-15897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-security","category-technology","tag-davids-sling","tag-iron-beam","tag-iron-dome","tag-rafael"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/reganews.co.il\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1-1-300x147.webp\")
\n<\/strong>Due to this limitation, sufficient energy does not reach the intended target. According to Steinitz, this was considered an insurmountable challenge. Air conditions, particularly temperature fluctuations, distort the laser. That\u2019s why in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the IDF and the Ministry of Defense abandoned laser research and focused on developing the Iron Dome instead.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Rafael, as a government-owned company with flexible research capabilities, continued investing in laser technology. A small team of three scientists and engineers worked relentlessly on the problem. About five years ago, they made a breakthrough.\u00a0 They developed a patent allowing the laser to \u2018ignore\u2019 air interference. Instead of firing a single powerful beam that disperses, multiple beams are fired \u2014each at a slightly different frequency. These beams converge at the target point.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/reganews.co.il\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/26-arrow-3.jpg\"){kind=icon}
\n<\/strong>The laser system boasts two major advantages:<\/p>\n\n
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