The official announcements regarding the completion of the development and operational trials of a 100-kilowatt high-power laser for intercepting missiles, rockets, and UAVs, together with the integration of the “Magen Or” system (now renamed “Magen Eitan”) into the IDF’s operational array, attest to impressive technological achievements. They also position the State of Israel as a leading country in remarkable technological developments aimed at ensuring its security. This is a multidisciplinary technological accomplishment: lasers, optics, and many engineering fields.
It’s important to note that a high-power laser system is not the ultimate solution for intercepting “anything that moves or flies in the air,” as an anonymous spokesperson claimed, but rather it is a system that integrates optimally with Israel’s various defense layers.
In its current configuration, the Magen Eitan system is mainly effective against specific targets such as drones and UAVs. Evidence for this can be found in the confrontation in the north against Hezbollah and Iran, according to Dr. Yuval Steinitz, chairman of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
The high-power laser system has inherent advantages, including reaching the target at the speed of light and concentrating large amounts of energy in a relatively short time on the target during its neutralization. The system is also characterized by modularity and operational and maintenance flexibility. It is a non-expendable weapon and the operating cost for a single shot is only a few shekels. These advantages—especially the beam’s movement at the speed of light—allow for rapid response against short-range threats, against which the Iron Dome isn’t effective.
At the same time, the laser system has several limitations, such as limited performance due to atmospheric or weather conditions,a required dwell time on the target to inflict effective damage, and a range limit for a given power level. Some of these limitations may be overcome in the future.
When weighing all the advantages and disadvantages of a high-power laser weapon, one can conclude that an energy-based weapon solution is an additional and important layer in ensuring the security of the State of Israel when integrated into the existing defense envelope.
The official announcements regarding the completion of the development and operational trials of a 100-kilowatt high-power laser for intercepting missiles, rockets, and UAVs, together with the integration of the “Magen Or” system (now renamed “Magen Eitan”) into the IDF’s operational array, attest to impressive technological achievements. They also position the State of Israel as a leading country in remarkable technological developments aimed at ensuring its security. This is a multidisciplinary technological accomplishment: lasers, optics, and many engineering fields.
It’s important to note that a high-power laser system is not the ultimate solution for intercepting “anything that moves or flies in the air,” as an anonymous spokesperson claimed, but rather it is a system that integrates optimally with Israel’s various defense layers.
In its current configuration, the Magen Eitan system is mainly effective against specific targets such as drones and UAVs. Evidence for this can be found in the confrontation in the north against Hezbollah and Iran, according to Dr. Yuval Steinitz, chairman of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
The high-power laser system has inherent advantages, including reaching the target at the speed of light and concentrating large amounts of energy in a relatively short time on the target during its neutralization. The system is also characterized by modularity and operational and maintenance flexibility. It is a non-expendable weapon and the operating cost for a single shot is only a few shekels. These advantages—especially the beam’s movement at the speed of light—allow for rapid response against short-range threats, against which the Iron Dome isn’t effective.
At the same time, the laser system has several limitations, such as limited performance due to atmospheric or weather conditions,a required dwell time on the target to inflict effective damage, and a range limit for a given power level. Some of these limitations may be overcome in the future.
When weighing all the advantages and disadvantages of a high-power laser weapon, one can conclude that an energy-based weapon solution is an additional and important layer in ensuring the security of the State of Israel when integrated into the existing defense envelope.