Israel has begun deploying its new Iron Beam laser air defense system, marking what Elliott Abrams, a Middle Eastern studies senior fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations, calls a revolutionary step in countering low-cost drone threats. In a CFR blog post on Sunday, the foreign policy expert and former U.S. diplomat writes that the laser system offers the first cost-effective response to the surge in drone warfare, which has strained traditional missile defense budgets.
According to Abrams, drones such as the Shahed models used in Ukraine cost around $35,000, while interceptors such as the PAC-3 Patriot can cost up to $3 million. In Israel’s case, Iron Dome batteries cost about $100 million each, and individual interceptors over $40,000. He notes that, in contrast, the Iron Beam’s operating cost is essentially limited to the price of electricity. Unlike missile batteries, it cannot be depleted by a drone swarm.
Israel currently uses a mobile version of the Iron Beam, but Abrams said it will soon be joined by a stronger, fixed-location version by the end of 2025. He quoted Brig. Gen. Daniel Gold, director of the Israel Defense Forces research and development unit, who hailed the system’s “immense operational and technological success,” saying Israel is the first to field an operational laser-based defense on this scale.
The CFR senior fellow also underscores the strategic implications for the United States, which helped finance the Iron Beam. Citing a 2023 Breaking Defense report, he noted that American efforts to deploy laser-based air defenses have been hampered by technological hurdles and inconsistent political support. But with Israel’s success, Abrams argues this should encourage Washington to rekindle its interest in laser weapons, not only to defend overseas bases more effectively but also to support allies, such as Ukraine and Taiwan, facing similar drone threats.
Abrams concludes by saying that just as drones have reshaped the battlefield, laser defenses such as the Iron Beam will redefine it once again.