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News18
a day ago
- Business
- News18
Lite Beam: Will Israel's New Laser Weapon Replace Traditional Missiles?
Last Updated: Easily mounted on Army vehicles, the Israeli laser system enhances mobile combat power. Adopting it would push India further into next-gen defence technology Israel has unveiled the Lite Beam Hard Kill Neutralization System, an advanced laser weapon designed to intercept and destroy aerial threats like drones and mortars mid-air, marking a major leap in next-generation air defence technology. Building on the success of the Iron Beam laser defence, Israeli defence firm Rafael Advanced Defense Systems' latest innovation offers enhanced accuracy for short-range engagements. This, if acquired, may strengthen India's defence capabilities in the face of evolving security challenges. How India Can Benefit From Acquiring It The growing technological partnership and exchange of advanced weapon systems between Israel and India is playing a crucial role in strengthening regional security. With India already having acquired the SkyStriker kamikaze drone from Israel, it may now explore the possibility of procuring this laser beam technology as well. Israel's new laser technology is designed to neutralise drones, mortars and small missiles mid-air. According to a report by The Jerusalem Post, the system uses a high-powered laser beam to jam and destroy enemy threats at close range with high precision. Compact and versatile, it can be mounted on standard vehicles such as a 4×4 jeep, making deployment quick and flexible. In addition to physical interception, the system also functions as a jammer, disabling enemy electronic equipment. Its laser beam is virtually unlimited, allowing for continuous and rapid-fire operation. The system can which can be mounted on operational Army vehicles will boost mobile combat capabilities. Moreover, adopting this advanced Israeli technology would mark another step forward for India in embracing next-generation defence systems. BrahMos, known as the P-800 Onyx in Russia, was developed through an India-Russia joint venture. In a similar way, if India co-develops Israel's laser beam technology, it could lower costs and secure a significant advantage in aerial defence. What Is Israel's Lite Beam? The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have, for the first time, confirmed the operational success of a newly developed laser-based defence system, capable of intercepting multiple aerial threats during the current conflict. As reported by The Jerusalem Post, the system—closely related to the Iron Beam laser platform—has demonstrated its effectiveness in real-time combat, marking a major leap in Israel's deployment of directed energy weapons. The Jerusalem Post also noted that the IDF had previously employed laser technology in operational scenarios as early as 2024, though restrictions at the time prevented public disclosure. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems showcased its latest innovations at the AUSA defence exhibition held in Washington, DC, from October 14–16, 2024. Among the highlights was the debut of the Lite Beam laser interception system, integrated with the Trophy active protection system. According to The Jerusalem Post, defence sources have suggested that Israel's new Lite Beam laser system is primarily designed to counter drones and potentially mortar threats, though it is not yet capable of intercepting larger threats like rockets or long-range missiles. Sources also noted that the Lite Beam features hard-kill neutralisation technology, which can be mounted on various military vehicles. It can also function as part of Israel's Drone Dome system, which combines jamming and soft-kill measures to disable aerial threats. Rafael highlighted that the Lite Beam offers key benefits such as near-instant engagement, an effectively unlimited firing capacity, and extremely low cost per use—making it a highly efficient solution for short-range air defence. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: May 30, 2025, 14:15 IST
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Arms deals: India moves away from Russia; Pakistan from the U.S.
While India effectively utilised many of its indigenous defence systems during Operation Sindoor, it also relied on weapons built in collaboration with Israel, such as the SkyStriker drone, and those imported from Russia, such as the Pechora and OSA-AK missiles. Pakistan used Chinese-origin PL-15 missiles and Turkish-origin Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. An analysis of arms transfer data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute shows that over the past decade, there has been a significant shift in the sourcing of weapons for both India and Pakistan. India has gradually reduced its dependence on Russia and has increasingly turned to Western countries such as France, the U.S., and the U.K. A significant portion of its arms imports also comes from Israel. The data reflect the quantity of weapons imported, without accounting for their firepower or operational role. Chart 1A shows the country-wise share of India's defence imports. Staring from the 1960s, India began to consistently source more than 33% of its weapons from Russia (formerly the Soviet Union). This dependence peaked in the 1990s, when Russia accounted for an overwhelming 96.5% of India's imports. From then, Russia's share steadily dropped, falling to a still substantial 75% in the 2020s. This drop was offset by increased imports from other countries: in the 2020s, France accounted for over 9%, the U.K. for 5.5%, Israel for nearly 5%, and the U.S. for close to 3% of India's weapons imports. In contrast, Pakistan has historically sourced the majority of its weapons from both China and the U.S. over several decades. However, in the 2020s, China has emerged as Pakistan's dominant arms supplier. Chart 1B illustrates the country-wise share of Pakistan's defence imports. In the 2020s, nearly 95% of Pakistan's arms imports came from China, marking a sharp rise from 41% in the 2010s and just 19% in the 2000s. Meanwhile, the U.S.'s share declined from nearly 67% in the 2000s to 38% in the 2010s to merely 0.85% in the 2020s. Apart from overall arms procurement, specific weapons and aircraft were also points of discussion during the recent conflict. The Indian Air Force played a crucial role in 'delivering precision strikes against terror infrastructure across Pakistan'. Additionally, the IAF's control of the airspace proved 'pivotal in protecting Indian airspace during retaliatory drone and UAV attacks'. Chart 2A shows the country-wise share of India's imports of weapons related to air power. Chart 2B shows the country-wise share of Pakistan's imports of weapons related to air power. India's dependence on countries apart from Russia is even more evident in this regard. In the 2020s, India has procured more than 55% of its weapons related to air power from France, the U.K., and Israel. Pakistan's dependence on China is also even more pronounced in this regard. Over the past three decades, between 50% and 85% of Pakistan's air-related imports have come from China. While the U.S.'s share in Pakistan's arms imports has significantly declined and its share in India's imports is only gradually rising, the superpower continues to dominate global arms exports overall. Chart 3 shows the country-wise share of global arms exports (in %). In the 2020s, more than 65% of the world's arms exports originated from the U.S. Russia's share has dwindled to 5% in the 2020s, which coincides with its invasion of Ukraine. Interestingly, China accounts for less than 2% of total exports worldwide in the 2020s. A significant portion of its limited exports (33%) is directed to Pakistan. Chart 4 shows shows the country-wise share of China's defence exports. Source: SIPRI vignesh.r@
New Indian Express
17-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Desi drones cleared pilot test under Operation Sindoor
India's stunning strikes at nine terror bases in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) and inside Pakistan's Punjab on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack had two firsts. One, precision strikes on the other side of the international border (IB) between India and Pakistan since the 1971 war; and two, use of loitering munitions or 'kamikaze' drones to destroy the terror infrastructure of the enemy under Operation Sindoor. The message was loud and clear: no part of the neighbouring country was safe for terrorists henceforth. At the same time, India asserted that the strikes were de-escalatory as precision munitions avoided collateral damage as also Pakistan's military installations. For precision strikes, the choice of kamikaze drones, that are capable of surveillance and lethal penetration inside enemy territory to seek targets, was tactical and extremely effective in what emerged as the grey zone warfare and the longest air combat in recent history. On May 8, in a joint press conference by the Ministry of External Affairs, Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh showed pictures of the extensively damaged terror sites. Kamikaze drones and missiles carried out the targeted attacks at nine locations in less than 25 minutes beginning 1.05 am on May 7, killing 100 terrorists, the government stated. Operation Sindoor avenged the killing of 26 people, most of them tourists on the basis of religion, at Baisaran in Pahalgam on April 22 by heavily armed terrorists from across the border. Along with the use of Scalp cruise missiles and HAMMER bombs, the Indian Army deployed indigenously-built SkyStriker suicide drones for precision strikes. The SkyStriker has been developed by Bengaluru-based Alpha Design (ADTL) in collaboration with Israel's Elbit Systems. They are rapidly deployable, have minimal thermal and acoustic signatures, require low maintenance, are mobile and can be operated by just one personnel. In their operational debut, the loitering munitions spelt havoc on their targets and gave India the much-required military heft and psychological edge.
India Today
16-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Exploring indigenous weapons behind Operation Sindoor's success
In this episode of Super 6, India Today's Akshita Nandagopal explores the critical role of indigenous weapons in Operation Sindoor. The Brahmos missile, used 15 times in a single night, proved to be a game-changer. Other made-in-India arms, including the Akash missile system and Sky Striker drones, played crucial roles. The programme also highlights India's growing defence exports and the success of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative in defence manufacturing.
India Today
15-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Pulwama terror hunt: Exclusive video shows terrorist's last call before encounter
9:10 The Sky Striker, a loitering munition drone developed by a Bangalore-based company in partnership with Elbit and Alpha Design, has gained global attention.
