Documents
Israel Rafael Advanced Defense Systems
Iron Beam
An Israeli directed-energy air-defense system using a high-power laser to intercept rockets, mortars, artillery shells and drones at short range. Designed to complement Iron Dome by offering a near-zero marginal cost per intercept, it reached initial operational status with the Israeli military in 2025.
In service since 2025 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗
10
km range
3,000
m altitude
100
km radar
Pricing: Reported near-zero marginal cost per engagement versus missile interceptors; unit system cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Israeli export-licensed
Israeli MoD (DECA/SIBAT) licensing; active export programme.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2025. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Competitive field
59 comparable systems from 26 other manufacturers
Counted in the WeaponSpecs database: air-defense systems built by another manufacturer that share at least one published role with this system. A count of what this catalog holds, not a survey of the whole market. See the alternatives →
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace. | 10 km |
|---|---|
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 3,000 m |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 100 kW-class solid-state laser |
|---|---|
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Electro-optical tracking, Directed-energy beam |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | Integrated with Iron Dome / national air-defense radar network |
|---|---|
| Radar range Published detection range against a typical fighter-sized target. Higher sees first. | 100 km |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1 Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement range of the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Iron Beam? +
The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Iron Beam has a maximum engagement range of 10 km.
What is the main armament of the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Iron Beam? +
The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Iron Beam's primary weapon is the 100 kW-class solid-state laser.
What is the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Iron Beam used for? +
The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Iron Beam is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Iron Beam? +
The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Iron Beam is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Iron Beam cost? +
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Iron Beam: Reported near-zero marginal cost per engagement versus missile interceptors; unit system cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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Related coverage
Iron Beam in the news
Article guide · Aug 19, 2026
Counter-Drone Lasers: Only One System Is Actually Fielded
Of five directed-energy weapons WeaponSpecs tracks, only Israel's Iron Beam is operational; the rest are prototypes, demonstrators, or sensors, not fielded.
News digest · Aug 15, 2026
The Interceptor Math Breaks: Inside a Week of Defense Shortfalls
Zelensky says Ukraine receives 1% of the Patriot interceptors it needs, and every fix on the table this week, from lasers to new motors, is years away.
News technology · Aug 11, 2026
Iron Beam Laser Sits Idle Eight Months After Delivery
Rafael's roughly $2-per-shot laser interceptor was delivered to Israel's military in December but still isn't cleared for operational use.
Article industry · Aug 1, 2026
Radar Range vs. Engagement Range in Air Defense
44 air-defense systems publish both a radar range and an engagement range. The gap spans 10x to a reversed 0.3x, showing which batteries fight alone.
News digest · Jul 25, 2026
Interceptor Economics Went From Theory to Policy This Week
From Iron Beam's few-dollar laser shots to Tomahawk-starved B-1B strikes on Iran, this week's defense news turned interceptor math into policy.
News technology · Jul 21, 2026
Rafael's Iron Beam laser reaches operational status with the IDF
Israel's Iron Beam became the world's first high-energy laser to reach full operational status when Rafael transferred the first unit to the IDF on December 28, 2025; Rafael showcased it at Farnborough this week.
News procurement · Jul 9, 2026
Army awards AeroVironment $500M for layered counter-drone
The U.S. Army gives AeroVironment a $500 million three-year deal to rapidly field layered counter-drone defenses: RF jammers, radar, lasers and interceptors.