World Breakthrough: 'Israeli Combat Lasers Downed Hezbollah Drones' - Video
The IDF will soon deploy the system, which racked up over 40 kill shots against incoming explosive and surveillance UAVs launched by the Iranian terror proxy.
[I noted a few of these test shootdowns earlier on in the war via Israeli media, although officials downplayed the significance of the unprecedented technical breakthrough, due to ongoing deployments at a number of sensitive locations along the northern border with Lebanon.
Each Iron Dome rocket costs about $50k (not to mention the costs of purchasing and maintaining the entire mobile raadar/firing battery system); The “Light Shield” is estimated to cost a few dollars per shot.
In any case, this is likely to be a short-range tactical and possibly strategic game-changer, in conjunction with the triple-tiered (respectively) short, medium, and long-range Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Arrow II and III missile defense systems: - DB]
"During the 'Iron Swords' War, the Defense Ministry's Defense Intelligence Agency, the Air Force and Rafael led an accelerated development process for operating new laser interception systems, in which defense fighters intercepted dozens of enemy targets.
"The systems are based on technological breakthroughs achieved over decades at Rafael and the R&D unit at the Defense Ministry.
“The laser systems are an additional layer of protection for energy weapon systems being developed at the Ministry of Defense, in addition to the "Light Shield" system currently being developed and expected to be delivered to the IDF this year.
During the war, the Air Force, including the Air Defense Division fighters, studied and deployed the laser systems in the field, leading to particularly high interception achievements that saved civilian lives and protected national assets.
*Head of the Air Defense Command, Brigadier General (Res.) Dr. Daniel Gold:* "The State of Israel is the first country in the world to present a massive operational laser capability to intercept threats. Air Defense Command, together with the defense industries and startups, has been leading the effort to develop the powerful laser for years. The laser vision was demonstrated in practice during the war with tremendous operational and technological success. The IDF combat forces demonstrated courage in absorbing and conducting initial operational operations with great success, from which we drew lessons that will be applied when deploying the systems for permanent operational use. The laser will constitute an additional interception layer in the multi-layered defense system developed with great effort by the defense industries and our exceptional human capital in the State of Israel. We will continue to advance technology and provide the IDF with systems and technologies that are at the forefront of the world, and we will continue to transform a vision into security, in the air, at sea, on land, and in every dimension and medium."
*Director of the R&D Division at the Defense Intelligence Agency, Brigadier General Yehuda Al-Makiis:* "During the war, we managed to put into operation several models of high-power laser systems that led to many achievements and also yielded accelerated practical learning. This is the first global operational success of these systems on the battlefield. During this period, we gained significant experience in exploiting and operating laser technologies, and we intend to apply the experience gained in the operational systems that we are currently developing, alongside expanding the scope of equipping with a variety of laser systems to protect the citizens of the State of Israel and the maneuvering IDF forces."
*Rafael Chairman, Dr. Yuval Steinitz:* "Israel is the first country in the world to have succeeded in maturing high-power laser technology into an operational system and, beyond that, to actually perform operational interceptions. We are very proud of Rafael's achievement in leading this operational and technological breakthrough. Rafael's "Magen Or" system, based on the unique development of "adaptive optics," will undoubtedly be a game-changing system that will have an unprecedented impact on the modern battlefield."
*Rafael CEO Yoav Turgeman:* "Rafael is leading the energy weapons revolution, including advanced operational laser systems of their kind in the world. The audacity and creativity of Rafael's best scientists, together with the enormous investment in research and development, have resulted in an operational-technological achievement on a global scale. Rafael's defensive and offensive systems have proven their effectiveness on the battlefield and made a significant contribution to the security of the State of Israel in general and in the "Iron Swords" war in particular. Later this year, we will deliver to the defense system the first "Magen Or" laser system to roll off Rafael's production lines, a system that will change the defense equation and enable accurate, fast, and cheap interception of any existing interception means."
*Commander of the Air Defense Division, Brigadier General G:* "The first operational achievements of the laser systems to intercept a significant number of aircraft and weapons during the war are a source of Israeli pride - pride in the development and production capabilities of the Ministry of Defense and the defense industries, and pride in the ability of the Air Force personnel, led by the air defense fighters, to absorb and operate new and advanced means while fighting. The achievement is the fruit of the labor of many - excellent people determined to do everything possible for the defense of Israel."
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- Thx, DB]
(Narrator: "cue the Mel Brooks "Jews in Space" memes!)
Finally, the Jewish Space Laser prototype!