Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’ Iron Beam high-energy laser weapon is ready for export and expected to be deployed by the Israel Defense Forces by the end of 2025, according to company CEO Yoav Turgeman.
In an interview with National Defense during the AUSA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., Turgeman said the 100-kilowatt system has completed combat testing and been certified for production following its acceptance by the Israeli Air Force. Rafael can manufacture the system at scale to meet global demand, he added.
Turgeman said Iron Beam will be integrated into Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense network, which combines laser and kinetic interceptors. He also expressed confidence that the system could be incorporated into the U.S. Golden Dome layered missile defense architecture, citing the U.S. Defense Department’s earlier purchase of two Iron Dome batteries.
The final production version of Iron Beam incorporates lessons from its prototype deployment, including improvements in maintainability and user operation. The system also features enhanced artificial intelligence to optimize targeting and reduce collateral damage.
Designed to defend an area roughly the size of a city, Iron Beam has a range of about 10 kilometers. Rafael developed two variants: Iron Beam-M, a mobile 50-kilowatt laser with a range of 5 to 7 kilometers, and Lite Beam, a 10-kilowatt version with a 2- to 3-km range that can be mounted on tactical vehicles.