Israel’s Iron Beam defense cannot be rushed despite “devastating” war fears

Israel will not have its groundbreaking Iron Beam high-energy laser weapon system operational any sooner than planned, despite the possibility of all-out war with Lebanon-based Hezbollah on its northern border.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense and Israeli industry are doing everything they can to accelerate the introduction of the Iron Beam, but the first air defense system of its kind will not enter service until late 2025 at the earliest. Newsweek understands. This schedule has been in place for a long time.

Gideon Weiss, head of international marketing and business development at Israeli state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, said there have been no changes to the schedule since October and that the Iron Beam is still expected to be operational by the end of next year.

Israel has been at open war in Gaza for nearly nine months after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched unprecedented attacks on Israel on October 7. Israel is also battling Hezbollah, which is advancing from southern Lebanon into Israel’s northern towns and villages. The Tehran-backed group has said it is firing drones, rockets and missiles into northern Israel in solidarity with Hamas after Israel vowed to wipe out the group from the Gaza Strip.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations has threatened a “devastating war” if an Israeli operation takes place in Lebanon.

Israeli officials say the Israeli military is winding down its operations in Gaza and attention is increasingly turning to the Lebanese border. Preliminary plans for a full-scale Israeli ground offensive against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon have already been given the green light, according to the Israeli military.

But US officials told CNN that Washington was deeply concerned that Israel’s air defenses in the north could be overwhelmed by Hezbollah if a full-scale war broke out on Israel’s northern border.

Additional air defense assets capable of eliminating Hezbollah’s drones and grenade launchers could provide Israel with an additional protective barrier should the current arsenal of various air defense systems become overwhelmed.

The Israeli Defense Ministry said Newsweek that the government, together with Israeli industry, is making its “utmost effort to expedite any relevant solution to the current conflict that is tailored to the demands of the fight and the conditions on the battlefield.”

“The development of the Iron Beam system is being carried out within a tight timeframe, dependent on testing and development phases. Every effort is being made to advance it as quickly and effectively as possible and to provide operational solutions to the armed forces in the field,” a spokesman said.

The Iron Beam uses laser technology to slice through aerial targets such as drones. According to Rafael, the prime contractor for the system, it can intercept threats from up to several kilometers away.

Iron Beam is designed as part of the air defense umbrella and is not intended to replace existing systems, including Israel’s famous Iron Dome system, the long-range David’s Sling system and Arrow 3, which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said was the first to successfully intercept an incoming target in November.

The systems have different ranges and are designed to counter a range of threats, from Hamas short-range rockets to Iranian long-range ballistic missiles.

“In general, Israel’s multi-layered air defense system is a significant national asset and plays a crucial role against any threat, including those in the north,” the Defense Ministry spokesman said.

A spokesman for Rafael said Newsweek that following the Hamas attacks on October 7, over 2,000 of its employees were called up for emergency reserve duty and hundreds of them were evacuated from their homes.

“As part of its duty to provide the defense capabilities the Israel Defense Forces need to accomplish its mission, Rafael has accelerated the production and manufacturing of critical assets,” the spokesman said.

“Systems such as the Iron Beam, which are under development, will be deployed when they can meet operational needs most effectively,” they added. It will be deployed alongside the Tamir kinetic interceptor missiles used by Iron Dome to provide an additional “energy-based intercept capability.”

“In terms of the area of ​​operation, whether in the north or the south, the system is designed to counter a range of threats directed against the Israeli home front,” the spokesman said in a statement.

Israel said tests had shown the Iron Beam could intercept rockets, grenade launchers and anti-tank missiles, as well as unmanned vehicles – a threat that militaries around the world are increasingly trying to counter.

Then-Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called it a “groundbreaking change” as early as 2022, adding: “It may sound like science fiction, but it is real.”

Similar systems are in various stages of development in other countries, including the UK, which successfully tested its DragonFire laser earlier this year. Iron Beam was reportedly deployed to intercept rockets fired from Gaza in late 2023, but an Israeli defence official said Newsweek these reports were false.

“If Israel gets this right, it could have significant benefits for the country,” says James Black, deputy director of the defense and security research group at the RAND Europe think tank.

The Iron Beam would not only strengthen Israel’s defenses but also demonstrate how effective directed energy weapons can be, he said. NewsweekThis would then position Israel as an “early adopter of this new capability and thus also as a potential exporter to other armies seeking similar systems.”

The US has allocated $1.2 billion to develop the Iron Beam while Washington pursues its own laser projects. The US Army has floated the idea of ​​acquiring the Iron Beam if it proves successful.

Israel’s President Bennett has previously stated that each missile intercepted by the system will cost about $3.50, not including the other costs of getting it up and running. Some interceptors in air defense systems can cost several million dollars apiece, making them a cheaper alternative than intercepting cheap drones or cheaply manufactured missiles. The number of interceptors is also not limited by the number of missiles available.

However, laser-based systems are subject to weather conditions and the need for a line of sight to the target.