Israel’s Rafael teams up with US Lockheed Martin to develop high-energy laser weapons

Middle East, News, US December 11, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

American defense giant Lockheed Martin and Israeli defense firm Rafael announced their joint efforts to develop a laser defense system that would extend Israel’s Iron Beam air defense system.

The two firms signed an agreement to mutually develop, test, and manufacture a High Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWS) that would be based on Israel’s Iron Beam project. The weapon would be developed in the U.S. and it would focus on the American market.

Israel is far ahead in the production of the Iron Beam project and plans to deploy high-energy laser weapons by next year. According to the Israeli Ministry of Defense Iron Beam has passed a series of tests in the last year that “proved the operational capability of the system.”

Iron Beam is meant to be an addition to Israel’s current air defenses based on Iron Dome. It would be deployed as a cheap alternative to neutralizing enemy rockets and drones compared to the interceptor missiles currently being used.

The HELWS planned by Rafael and Lockheed Martin would be based on the same technology used in the Iron Beam project. The system would be made up of a pair of solid-state lasers that, combined, could boost power up to 300 kilowatts. The goal would be to enable the operational systems to simultaneously “burn” more than one target. As the laser beam must stay on the target for a few seconds to destroy it, more than one beam must be used if there is more than one threat.

Rafael CEO and President Yoav Har-Even, a retired major general in the IDF, described the joint agreement as a strategic team-up that serves as a force multiplier for Rafael and the Israeli market. Har-Even said, “We are working to ensure our customers receive the most advanced, effective, and best-in-class systems. This agreement will expand and diversify the capabilities we can offer to a variety of customers.”

*^{Chief Operating Officer at Lockheed Martin Frank St. John with Rafael CEO and President Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Yoav Har-Even (Image Credit: Lockheed Martin)}*

Lockheed Martin Chief Operating Officer Frank St. John called the partnership an “opportunity” to expand the company’s role as a “security teammate for the State of Israel.” John added that “Lockheed Martin’s mission is to deliver the best security solutions that help our customers stay ahead of their adversaries. Working with Rafael, our joint team will help bring this new, life-saving capability to our customers. This unique capability will enhance Israel’s vital air and missile defense system with state-of-the-art laser technology.”

Lockheed Martin-Rafael initiative aims to develop a more powerful laser weapon than the current Iron Beam system. Some sources even suggest that the two companies are aiming to increase the power up to 1 megawatt, which would be able to destroy armaments beyond that of short-range rockets and missiles. However, as the technology currently stands it would take a lot of time and effort from both sides to make a HELWS capable of replacing conventional air defense systems.

The U.S. defense firm is entering a new area of operations in Israel. According to Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin Israel, Joshua (Shiki) Shani, “As a leader of technology, our aerial platforms, such as F-35, F-16, C-130, and more, have been operational in Israel for many years and including CH-53K, these will continue to be into the future. Now, we step into the high-energy laser era and look forward to fielding operational, reliable, and highly-effective systems with teammates such as Rafael.”