The Defense Ministry announced on Monday morning that it signed an agreement with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems valued at around NIS two billion (~$534 million) to significantly expand its acquisition of "Iron Beam" laser interception systems.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems are Israeli defense technology companies.
The agreement was signed the day after Defense Ministry Director-General Eyal Zamir signed an order to broaden the laser system's production, the ministry noted.
"Since the outbreak of the war, the Defense Ministry has signed hundreds of orders worth tens of billions of shekels to strengthen ‘blue and white’ production independence and to build up the IDF’s capabilities," Zamir said. "Our primary goal is to reduce reliance on external sources and to bolster the Israeli industry,” he further added.
On its website, Rafael described the Iron Beam as a "100kW class High Energy Laser Weapon System" that is anticipated to be the first such system in its class.
According to the company, it is effective at targeting threats at distances ranging from hundreds of meters to several kilometers away.
Additionally, as former prime minister Naftali Bennett noted during a 2022 visit to a Rafael factory, as opposed to the Iron Dome system, which costs tens of thousands of dollars for each interceptor fired, the Iron Beam system costs around two dollars per use.
In a press statement, Elbit Systems announced on Monday that the Defense Ministry had awarded it an approximately $200 million contract.
Elbit stated that the contract was awarded to the company to supply Israel's Iron Beam air defense system with high-power laser systems.
A 'high-power laser solution'
Having received the contract, Elbit will provide the system with a "high-power laser solution" in order to bolster the system's ability to confront a number of different kinds of threats.
“As Israel's Laser Center and a global leader in high-power laser technology, Elbit Systems congratulates on the significant progress made in the Iron Beam project and is proud of its contribution to its success," President and CEO of Elbit Systems Bezhalel Machlis said. "The capabilities developed at Elbit Systems represent a leap forward in future defense against various threats."
Ongoing support services for the Iron Beam system are included in the contract, Elbit added.