Israel to test Iron Beam laser system on Hamas missiles

"Magen Or," the Israeli rocket interception system, which utilizes a high-powered laser, will soon undergo a series of tests under the conditions of actual combat in the southern part of the country. "Magen Or" (Iron Beam) represents the next step in Israel's self-defense capabilities: a laser system capable of neutralizing rockets, missiles, or drones from a distance, at zero cost when compared to the Iron Dome.

Following the conflict with the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Ministry of Defense and Rafael recently agreed to deploy the system near the border with Gaza and challenge it with rocket barrages launched by Hamas terrorists. The operational testing of Magen Or - which is still in the development process - will not compromise the operational effectiveness of Iron Dome, which will be activated whenever launches are detected from the Gaza Strip. According to a security source, this is being considered as a live experiment.

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The Magen Or system is scheduled to begin initial operations in 2024-2025, following a significant breakthrough in laser weapon technology in recent years. This system is designed to intercept various threats, including rockets, mortar bombs, drones, and more, all at a cost equivalent to the electricity required to operate it. Developers at Rafael categorize Magen Or as a complementary defensive weapon to Iron Dome, also developed and manufactured by the same companies. These two systems are designed to operate in coordination. Therefore, if the command and control system directs a powerful laser beam towards a target, an Iron Dome interceptor will not be deployed, resulting in savings of approximately $50,000 per Iron Dome interceptor.

Rafael and the Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure in the Ministry of Defense are leading the development of this unique and innovative system. The laser beam is invisible and silent, and as envisioned by its developers, it is expected to intercept rockets and mortar bombs while they are still in enemy territory. This approach avoids the need to activate alarms in Israeli cities that are far from the front lines of the conflict.

"Magen Or" (Iron Beam) laser system

The military confrontation that followed the terrorist attack in which murderous Hamas terrorists slaughtered over 1,400 Israeli citizens on October 7 - is a golden opportunity for the engineers of the system. During the past 20 days, Hamas terrorists launched more than 8,000 rockets and missiles at cities in Israel - most of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile interception system. "We are currently at a peak stage in the full development of the system," said in April this year its chief engineer, Dr. Yochail, who has been working on its development for 17 years.