Israel says it used air-defense lasers to shoot down drones
(NewsNation) — For years, laser warfare was the stuff of sci-fi — but on Israel's northern border with Lebanon, Israel's laser defense system just got real.
Israel's defense ministry confirmed it has deployed a high-powered laser to shoot down Hezbollah drones. The system, dubbed the 'Iron Beam,' has shot down drones more than 40 times in recent years, the Israel Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
A play on Israel's 'Iron Dome' air-defense system, military analysts have said the technology could be the dawn of a new era in air defense.
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The Iron Beam isn't a missile — unlike the Iron Dome, which fires costly interceptors into the sky. The laser system uses a beam of directed energy to melt targets midair with no explosion or impact, just instant heat and precision.
According to military officials, more than 300 hostile drones were launched against Israel, and the laser helped stop dozens of them.
Defense experts have said that lasers, unlike missiles, fire at the speed of light and cost pennies on the dollar to operate, making them an attractive option in a long conflict.
'It costs around $50,000 for one of Israel's Iron Dome to mirror interceptors. These bring those costs down to somewhere around $1. So it, you know, disincentivizes these kind of conflicts,' said Zev Faintuch, head of intelligence for Global Guardian.
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The lasers have only been used on drones, which are relatively slow-moving targets, a potential downside.
Then there's the weather to consider.
'Dust could be a big factor, but so can rain as well,' Faintuch said. 'So, it's unclear if this system can kind of overcome those inherent challenges with direct energy weapons.'
While Israel is the first country to publicly confirm using the laser system in live combat, several other countries, including the United States, have also tested this kind of futuristic technology.
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