Israel โDeploys Laser-Based Air โDefense System, Claiming a First
TEL AVIV – Israel has announced the operational deployment ofโข a laser-based air defense system capable of intercepting drones and projectiles, marking what officials claim is a world first.The Ministry โขof Defense has not disclosed specificโค details โฃregarding the system’s range โขor capabilities,but confirmed it has been used in limited capacityโ earlier this year.
The โnew technology is being touted asโข a significantly cheaper option to traditional missile-based defense systems. Israeli officialsโค state the cost โper interception is less than US $5 (Rp. 83,000), compared toโค the tens of thousands of dollars – orโฃ hundreds of millions of rupiahโค – required for eachโ missile intercept.This advancement arrives as Israel โคfaces ongoing multi-front security challenges, including sustained projectile attacks since โthe October 7th Hamas incursion which saw 3,000 rockets fired towards Israel.
Defense minister Israel Katz praised the system’s “fast and โฃtargeted interception with marginal costs that combine our existing defense systemโข and changeโค the equation of threats.” While numerous countriesโข are developing directed energy weapons, Israel assertsโข it is โคtheโ firstโค to reach full operational status.โ The โคannouncement follows Prime Ministerโค Benjamin โNetanyahu’s emphasis on achieving security independence amid โincreasingโค international isolation. However, the laserโฃ system is known to have technical limitations, including an inability to โfunction in cloudy weather.