Drone killer for cents: World's first 100 kW laser ready to deploy

Israel is set to deploy the world’s first operational high-power laser air-defense system, Iron Beam, by the end of 2024. The 100-kilowatt laser completed operational testing in September and is designed to destroy drones, rockets, mortar shells, and other aerial threats within seconds at a fraction of the cost of traditional missile interceptors. Iron Beam will complement Israel’s existing multilayered air-defense network, which includes Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and the Arrow systems, by specifically targeting small, slow, low-flying threats such as drones—an area where current missile systems have limited effectiveness. The development of Iron Beam responds to the growing threat posed by Iranian-made Shahed drones used by Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups, which have conducted multiple attacks inside Israel, including near sensitive locations like Prime Minister Netanyahu’s residence. A lower-powered variant of Iron Beam was already used in October 2024 to intercept dozens of Hezbollah drones. The system’s main advantage lies in its extremely low