Israel is the first in the world to use a combat laser to destroy enemy drones

As TechSpot reports, the Israeli army confirmed that it used a prototype of the Lite Beam laser system to intercept enemy drones in October 2023. The incident only became known now, after the ban on disclosure of information was lifted.

The Lite Beam is a compact 10 kW system developed by Israeli company Rafael. It can be mounted on 4×4 armored vehicles, making the technology suitable for frontline use. It will complement the well-known Iron Dome system that Israel uses to intercept rockets.

The next phase will be the introduction of a more powerful version — Iron Beam. This laser system is designed to destroy missiles, shells, mines, cruise missiles and UAVs at a distance of up to 10 km. Its cost is only a few dollars per shot, unlike tens of thousands for missile analogues. At the same time, the laser has unlimited «ammunition» — all it needs is power.

Iron Beam also uses phase-locked, fiber-optic lasers to form a powerful beam. Thanks to adaptive optics, the system can quickly target multiple targets simultaneously — a key advantage in combating drone swarms.

A new era of air defense

Other countries are also actively developing laser weapons: in the US, the Navy tested the LLD system, in the UK, DragonFire hit a coin from a kilometer away, and South Korea plans to use lasers against drones.

The Israeli Lite Beam laser opens a new era of air defense. Its use in real combat is a signal of a change in approaches to air defense. Cheapness, speed and accuracy are three components that could change the balance on the battlefield in the coming years.

The Ukrainian military-industrial complex can also boast of similar developments. Recently, the Unmanned Systems Forces presented the work of the Ukrainian laser complex «Tryzub».

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