Israel has taken a major step in air defense technology with the delivery of its first operational high-power laser interception system to the Israel Defense Forces, defense officials announced Sunday. The system, known as “Or Eitan,” was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and has been delivered to the Israeli Air Force’s air defense array, where it will operate alongside the Iron Dome missile defense system.
Designed to intercept rockets, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and mortar shells, Or Eitan is widely regarded within the defense establishment as a global technological breakthrough. Unlike interceptor missiles, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars per launch, the laser system is expected to neutralize threats at a cost of only a few shekels per interception.
By comparison, a single Iron Dome interceptor missile is estimated to cost around $50,000.
Complement to Iron Dome
According to defense estimates, the Or Eitan system has an interception range of approximately 10 kilometers and will be deployed in coordination with Iron Dome, with each system used according to optimal operational conditions.
Until now, Israel has relied primarily on costly missile-based interceptors to counter a wide range of aerial threats. The introduction of laser-based interception is expected to significantly alter the economic balance of air defense, particularly against mass rocket and UAV attacks.
Ceremony Marked by Personal Loss
Senior officials from Israel’s defense establishment attended the delivery ceremony earlier Sunday. Among them was Dov Oster, one of the system’s developers. The system is named after his son, Eitan Oster, who was killed during the October 7 war in southern Lebanon.
At the ceremony, Oster recited the traditional blessing: “May we live.”
Defense Officials: More Systems on the Way
Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram said the system delivered to the Air Force is only the first in a series.
“This is one of many systems currently in production,” Baram said. “Alongside manufacturing, we are already deep into the development of next-generation defense systems, on land and in the air. Or Eitan is expected to significantly enhance our ability to deal with complex threats and fundamentally change the economic equation between the cost of interception and the cost of the threat.”
Rafael: A World First
Rafael Chairman Yuval Steinitz said Israel is the first country in the world to field an operational laser-based air defense system.
“This capability allows the interception of a wide range of aerial threats using advanced laser technology,” Steinitz said.
Rafael CEO Yoav Turgeman revealed that the system was tested in real time during the recent war against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“Even during a complex period of intense fighting, we succeeded in demonstrating impressive operational capabilities with a high-power laser,” Turgeman said. “This represents an unprecedented technological achievement.”
Future Developments and Weather Challenges
Elbit Systems is also a partner in the broader laser defense project and is working on a future airborne laser interception system designed to be carried by aircraft. That system is intended to intercept ballistic and hypersonic missiles above cloud level, though its development is expected to take several more years.
In recent months, defense officials have said a series of technological breakthroughs are expected to allow the laser interception system to operate effectively up to 90% of the time, including under challenging weather conditions.
Laser systems traditionally face limitations in haze, cloud cover and rain, but Israeli developers say these constraints are being steadily reduced as the technology matures.
The delivery of Or Eitan marks a milestone in Israel’s air defense strategy — and a potential turning point in the future of battlefield interception worldwide.
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