Among the weapons Israel presented to President Biden on Wednesday was a prototype of a new laser defense system that Israeli leaders have described as a strategic game changer for the region. The weapon, known as the Iron Beam, is the result of two decades of research and experimentation. And while development may still be a few years away, officials say the laser will be able to intercept rockets, mortar rounds, drones and anti-tank missiles. Israel has long been a leader in air defense, with significant and ongoing American support. The demonstration of the multi-layered air defense arsenal presented to Mr. Biden provided an opportunity to showcase the products of this cooperation and showcase Israeli military technologies to the world. Iron Beam, which Mr. Biden saw at Ben-Gurion Airport, is intended to complement, not replace, Iron Dome and David’s Sling, Israel’s short- and medium-range missile interceptor systems. Wednesday’s demonstration also included the advanced Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile system, jointly developed by Israel and the US Missile Defense Agency. One of the first countries to develop a deployable laser weapon, Israel has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into the project as Israel and some of its Middle Eastern allies, including the United Arab Emirates, increasingly face air threats from their own enemy, Iran. and his proxies. Unveiling the laser weapon this spring, Naftali Bennett, then Israel’s prime minister, hinted at the wider possibilities, saying it was an asset Israel could use to “gain support, build alliances and become even stronger.” . “This new generation of Israeli air defenses could also serve our friends in the region who are also exposed to serious threats from Iran and its proxies,” Mr. Bennett said. Israel is not alone in developing such weapons. At least one laser weapon, Lockheed Martin’s Helios, has begun deployment on US Navy ships, and the United States Army is working on more powerful ones that can shoot down cruise missiles. Technology has shifted from the chemical laser—which required corrosive and toxic chemicals to induce a beam, as well as bulky machinery—to the solid-state laser, which requires only copious amounts of electricity. Israeli officials say they are working closely with the United States on laser technology and are trying to work with their main strategic ally. “We share knowledge with the Americans,” Daniel Gold, head of the Defense Research and Development Directorate at Israel’s defense ministry and a brigadier general in the reserves, said in an interview shortly before Mr. Biden’s arrival on Wednesday. “We’re talking about how to work together on the laser program,” he said. “The US has a very good program. we have a very good program,” he said, adding that Wednesday’s demonstration will be Iron Beam’s first exposure to the highest level of American leadership. Israeli defense officials said the laser weapon had performed beyond expectations in a series of live-fire tests in the southern Israeli desert this spring, destroying a rocket, a mortar shell and a drone in flight. Iron Dome is heavily subsidized by the United States, with each interception costing tens of thousands of dollars. Mr. Biden recently approved an appropriation of about $1 billion to acquire additional interceptors. Israeli officials say the Iron Beam’s main advantage will be its cost-effectiveness, with intercepts costing little more than the power required to operate it. One drawback, however, is that terrestrial laser beams are ineffective in foggy and cloudy conditions.
