Iron Beam

Israel’s first operational high-power laser air-defense system — a 100 kW directed-energy weapon designed to intercept rockets, mortar bombs and drones at a fraction of the cost of kinetic interceptors, now woven into the Iron Dome network.

Overview

Iron Beam (official English name: Laser Dome, Hebrew: Or Eitan) is a ground-based, high-energy laser air-defense system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems with Elbit Systems as the laser source and Lockheed Martin on a US-market derivative. Designed to burn through cheap, massed aerial threats — rockets, mortar shells, one-way attack drones and, per manufacturer claims, some missile types — out to approximately ten kilometres, the system’s selling point is economics: each engagement costs single-digit dollars in electricity, compared with the $50,000-plus per Tamir missile fired by the co-located Iron Dome. The Israel Ministry of Defense declared Iron Beam operational in September 2025 and delivered the first full-production battery to the Israeli Air Force in December 2025, making it the world’s first fielded high-power laser air-defense system, according to Rafael and Wikipedia.

🔒 The full Iron Beam file is for BattlePolicy Pro members. Below the line: development history, design and capabilities, variants, the combat record, advantages and limitations, comparable systems, outlook, the full specifications table, our sourcing, and the analyst assessment — procurement, suppliers and the BattlePolicy verdict. Unlock the full file with BattlePolicy Pro →