Defense ministry will purchase laser-based systems for intercepting rockets and mortar shells

In the coming days, the Ministry of Defense will purchase powerful laser-based systems for intercepting rockets and mortar shells. Elbit, which is responsible for the production of the laser transmitter, and Rafael, which manufactures the system, recently announced that they have the required capacity to begin production of an operational system within three years. The air and are expected to operate in the Gaza Envelope.
When the Israeli defense industry began to develop laser interception capability a few years ago, it faced several technological challenges: First, it had to produce a long-range focused laser beam beam. Second, it was required to produce a laser beam with a power of 100 kilowatts, which was required to destroy rockets and shrapnel at a range of up to about 10 km.
The defense establishment refused to list all the capabilities of the system, but confirmed that it was capable of destroying a threat within a range of about 10 km as well as intercepting rockets, shrapnel and unmanned aerial vehicles. "We had slight delays, both technologically and because of the corona, but we are there, and without a doubt one of the leaders in the world," said the head of the Ministry of Defense's research and development division, Brigadier General Yaniv Rotem, who is leading the project. "With the help of two technological breakthroughs, we managed to reach a situation where we have something that, to the best of my knowledge, no one else has. The decision we made to equip ourselves with laser weapon systems will lead to a significant leap in the defense capabilities of the State of Israel."
The system, which is in the development stages, will first operate as a complementary ground system to Iron Dome batteries. The defense system intends to connect the systems, and in cases where interception can be performed using a laser - the system will know how to adjust the manner of interception in relation to the threat. Laser interception Operational and economic benefits: While the cost of each interception in the Iron Dome system is tens of thousands of shekels per interceptor, the cost of laser interception is affected only by the electricity required to operate it, a cost estimated at a few shekels. In addition, a laser system will make it possible to intercept its targets over enemy territory and before crossing it into Israel. Another advantage is that the laser system does not require a constant supply of interceptors while fighting, in contrast to the Iron Dome system whose operation requires the transport of interceptors to the operational batteries. At the same time, Elbit continues to work on the development of an airborne laser system, which can also respond to threats at higher and longer ranges than the ground.
Defense Minister Bnei Gantz said today that "we are taking a dramatic and important step towards a change in the battlefield and an upgrade in the security of Israeli residents in the face of the growing threats on our borders from Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, under the auspices of Iran and terrorist organizations." Speaking to reporters, Ganz said the breakthrough would also lead to economic cooperation with major countries and companies in the world in the near future. The defense establishment refused to specify which countries expressed interest in the system, but when asked about the Gulf states did not deny that cooperation was possible with them as well.
Last month, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated that within a year or so, Israel will have an experimental system for laser interception, but as stated, the Ministry of Defense and Rafael say that it will take longer for the first system to be handed over to the IDF. "We are working as fast as possible," said Rafael CEO Gen. (Res.) Yoav Har-Even in response to the schedule set by Bennett, "How long will it take? The faster the better - the better."