"Israel has developed a proven ability to intercept rockets using multi-laser Powerful"

Israeli breakthrough in laser rocket interception development: After decades of futile attempts, failed projects, and joint efforts with the US that failed to deliver - rocket missile and rocket launches - Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that Israel has developed a proven ability to intercept rockets using multi-laser Powerful.
In about six months, an overall capability trial will be conducted from the laboratory to build a complete system in the defense industries Raphael and Elbit, in the Shadema field in the south. Then, towards the end of the year, first laser transmitters will be set up for an actual experiment on the ground - on the Gaza border, in the hope that the operational fire baptism will be successful.
The capability has so far proven itself in a series of experiments over the past decade, and in the first phase the system is expected to intercept three types of threats: mortar shells and medium-range rockets of up to 40 km, drones, airplanes and anti-tank missiles - including advanced missiles, such as Cornet . Then the system is also expected to intercept long-range rockets and even missiles launched at a range of hundreds of kilometers, ie from countries such as Syria and Lebanon.
Over the next decade, the Defense Ministry's Defense Force (MPA) department also plans to increase laser use in two additional strata: on armored vehicles or trucks that will move to the battlefield, to protect ground forces in enemy ground maneuver, and to install the system on an aircraft carrier. Air Force to intercept enemy rocket and anti-aircraft missiles from the sky - thus enhancing the advantage of air superiority. As early as the next two years, the system is expected to be installed on the Air Force's Hercules aircraft as part of the development process.
"For the first time, after our dreams and desires to come up with an energy-efficient weapon system and not using 'flying faucets', we are definitely approaching it," declared the head of the MAPA Department of Electronics, Dubi Oster, today. "Laser is already in the industry, for car welding, among others. , But in single kilowatt quantities, and laser intercepting requires tens of kilowatts. The ability we developed is based on an electric and non-chemical laser that turned out to be as dangerous and less effective as we have tried before. The goal is to reach about 100 kilowatts, which is why we are accurate and hit the target - even over 5 km. "
Oster added that in order to intercept a laser today, pointing at the same point for several seconds is required when the target is in flight, having been flagged and initially detected by existing Air Force radars. Then, the laser system monitors the target roughly, using a camera until tracking Precise delicate, where the bomb or rocket covers the entire screen. In the third stage, the system determines where it is appropriate to target the tiny laser point to effectively shoot down the threat - whether at the top of the battle, with rear wings or the explosive-containing part, in the center of the rocket. In the fourth and final stage, the laser beam focuses and clings to the rocket, warming it with tremendous power and within a few moments the rocket explodes or is perforated.
The new system is expected to complement the existing active defense systems, including Arrow, Magic Wand, Patriot and especially the Iron Dome, for the short term. The priority would be to intercept using a laser, as the cost of single laser firing amounts to single dollars - the price of electricity generated to transmit a beam to the sky. In fact, the Mapa were able to concentrate the laser beams to a single point on the target, within a few km ranges, and in the way the beam is not seen, not even at night. Thus, the power that fired the laser beam was not exposed in terms of its location.
The Defense Ministry's Research and Development Department, Brigadier General Yaniv Rotem, noted that so far, about NIS 100 million has been invested in developing the capability, and the cost of setting up the array and the means to deploy and defend Israel's borders with laser amounts to several hundred million shekels.
The benefits of laser interceptions: A robust defense system that does not depend on mobile batteries and their deployment, nor does any preliminary intelligence about the types of rockets or fear of approaching fire. In addition, the laser is a weapon system that you do not hear or see. "It's a never-ending cartridge," Oster said. "Because it depends only on electricity. From the moment we first intercepted using a laser, the game will change. There is no need to re-arm interceptor missiles, production lines or supply chains."
At the same time, the system has a major drawback in the line of sight: it depends on clean, cloudless weather, as surveillance is performed by optical means. Crossing the atmosphere also harms the laser beam's focus, so the threats that can be intercepted pertain to the lower strata. The developers of the system are also working to adapt to the threat of the Lebanese burqan bombs and the Gaza tremors, which carry hundreds of kilograms of explosives per bombardment and are intended for close range.
Over the past decade, several successful field trials have been conducted at Mapa, but at the laboratory level, during which anti-aircraft missiles, shoulder missiles (anti-aircraft guns), and dozens of laser bombardments were fired. The ripening came about nine months ago, with the concentration of the laser. "This system is safe and does not emit ionizing radiation. The danger is only for those in the laser range, and laser firing can be stopped in a millisecond if it is feared that friendly aircraft will be damaged," the Ministry of Defense noted.
"If we complete the development of the system on an aircraft, we can overcome the weather barrier, as the interception of the aircraft will be above the height of the clouds and so will the coverage area be larger. As a vision, the system will be installed on unmanned aerial vehicles. We can intercept the rockets over the head of The enemy will thus save alarms. Later we will also open the system to intercept skimmers. "

(Photo: Department of Public Relations, Ministry of Defense