Israel's Defense Ministry announced Tuesday the completion of a significant upgrade to the Iron Dome air defense system, following a series of tests against rockets, cruise missiles, and drones. The trials included the first-ever integration of the 'Iron Beam' laser system with Iron Dome's command and control network, incorporating lessons from wartime operations and engagements with Iran.
Israel's Defense Ministry on Tuesday revealed that a major upgrade of the Iron Dome (כיפת ברזל) air defense system has been successfully completed, following an extensive series of tests conducted against rockets, cruise missiles, and drones. The trials integrated operational lessons from Israel's recent war and from engagements with Iran, the ministry said.
For the first time, the tests included the integration of the 'Iron Beam' ('אור איתן') laser-based air defense system with Iron Dome's command-and-control network. The laser system, developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, is designed to intercept short-range rockets and drones at a fraction of the cost of Iron Dome's kinetic interceptors, and its operational integration marks a significant step toward layered directed-energy air defense.
This development comes amid a broader push by Israel and allied defense industries toward laser-based interception. As The Zioneer has reported, Israeli firm Elbit Systems unveiled an airborne laser cannon at the Eurosatory 2026 exhibition this month, and separate U.S. directed-energy programs under the 'Golden Dome' initiative have also seen progress. The upgrade also follows Iran's large-scale missile and drone offensive on June 11, which tested Israeli air defense systems under combat conditions. The ministry did not specify the timeline for full operational deployment of the laser integration across all Iron Dome batteries.
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