Publications

Intercepting missiles and rockets at the earliest stage of their launch is an offensive action with a distinctly defensive character. Its goal is to prevent direct or collateral damage in the attacked state while inflicting maximum harm on the aggressor. For Israel, this interception method has a compounded advantage due to its small size, the threats posed by Iran and its proxies in both the near and far “ring of fire,” and the high potential for damage from strikes on civilian and military infrastructure. This article reviews the...

The ideas behind quantum computing were first proposed in the 1980s, but their accelerated development in the last decade heralds the beginning of a new scientific and technological revolution. This is because quantum computing comprises a breakthrough in a field in which “regular“ computing has almost reached its physical limits. The computational power of a digital computer depends on the number of chips per unit of area, but this number is limited for technological and physical reasons. The computer and chip industries are pushing...

Over the past year, the Syrian military, which was severely weakened due to the civil war, has undergone accelerated reconstruction processes. This coincides with the civilian reconstruction in Syria, and necessarily proceeds at its expense. Although the Syrian military faces many challenges and is far from posing an immediate threat to Israel, these reconstruction efforts demand attention; some have already created potential strategic threats to Israel: on the conventional side – missiles, UAVs, and air defense systems; and on the...

The operational use of maneuvering hypersonic missiles by Russia in the war in Ukraine has demonstrated the threat inherent in such weapons. Maneuvering hypersonic missiles travel on an aerodynamic trajectory at a speed that is 5-10 times the speed of sound (Mach 5-10), and have excellent navigation and maneuvering capabilities that make it difficult to detect and track their trajectory, and consequently to intercept them. Such missiles can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads, and have the ability to strike moving targets...

This article examines high-power laser applications to protect against future threats on the battlefield. Lasers that produce energetic light beams at the speed of light have demonstrated capabilities to neutralize and destroy air targets, including shells, such as UAVs and gliders, which are now used by hostile countries and terrorist organizations to harm civilian and military infrastructure. This article reviews the strategic and tactical applications of high-power lasers, the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of...