Iron Beam air defense explained: The laser that strengthens Iron Dome

The article explains how Israel’s Iron Beam laser defense system complements the existing Iron Dome missile interceptor system, potentially transforming air defense economics and capabilities. Iron Dome uses radar to detect incoming threats, a control center to assess their trajectories, and launches Tamir interceptor missiles to neutralize only those projectiles threatening protected areas. While effective at ranges of 4 to 70 km and combat-proven, Iron Dome’s interceptors are costly—around $40,000 each, with total engagement costs exceeding $100,000—and limited by missile inventory and reload logistics. Iron Beam, developed by Rafael and Elbit Systems and nearing operational deployment as of September 2025, employs directed laser energy to disable threats at shorter ranges (up to about 10 km). Its “ammunition” is electricity, making the marginal cost per shot extremely low, just a few dollars, and allowing rapid successive engagements limited mainly by power and cooling capacity. Variants include mobile and fixed-site versions with power levels ranging from about