Just a few years ago directed energy weapon system seems more like science fiction than reality. Nowadays, this technology is becoming mainstream.
Iron beam, also sometimes called “Light Shield”, is one of the newest and most advanced military developments that uses directed energy beams to defend against air attacks. It can effectively destroy a variety of rockets, artillery shells and mortar bombs.
Iron beam laser. Image credit: Israel Ministry of Defense / WSJ (still image from YouTube video)
In a sense, this new system competes with Iron Dome, is also capable of intercepting missiles and projectiles, and does that at longer ranges. However, Iron Dome’s interception effectiveness decreases at close range. Meanwhile, short interception range is Iron Beam’s strongest point. With a range of up to 7 km (4.3 miles), it can effectively take down a variety of targets, including all types of drones. Some modifications of the high-powered Iron Beam can fire lasers at objects up to 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) away.
In Iron Beam, a powerful laser beam heats up the target and then damages the target for a few moments (usually 4-5 seconds). It also operates at a lower cost than missile-based defenses: around $3.50 per shot is enough to cover all costs, compared with $50,000 to $150,000 per shot. interceptor missile firing.
In the following video from the Wall Street Journal, you’ll learn more about how the Iron Beam works, and where it’s used in practice:
