Israel has successfully tested it latest laser-based air-defence system. The next-gen defence system can track and destroy enemy projectiles with unprecedented accuracy.
The new system is designed to complement a series of air-defence systems, such as the Iron Dome, already deployed by the country to defend against enemy mortars, anti-tank missiles and drones.
Israel has repeatedly claimed that its Iron Dome defence system is a great success. It reportedly has a 90 per cent interception rate against incoming rockets. However, the system is expensive to deploy.According to a news agency, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has said that someone in Gaza can fire a rocket towards Israel for just a few hundred dollars, it costs tens of thousands of dollars for the Iron Dome system to intercept that rocket.Bennett has claimed that the ‘Iron Beam’ is the “world’s first energy-based weapons system” that uses a laser to shoot down UAVs, rockets and mortars at a “cost of $3.50 per shot”.At the current exchange rate, that amounts to Rs 267 Indian per shot.
The Iron Beam is believed to have a maximum range of up to 7 kms and is capable of destroying missiles in around four seconds after its twin fibre-optic lasers make contact with their target.The Iron Dome uses Tamir interceptor missiles to bring down rockets or missiles aimed at Israeli targets. Those interceptor missiles cost big dollars. Instead, the new system can light up a target with laser beam for a fraction of what the Iron Dome costs.
For further information on Security technologies from Israel, contact the Economic and Trade Department at the Consulate General of Israel in Mumbai.
Siddhant Gupte; Trade Officer, Mumbai
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