From documentation previously published on the laser system by the Ministry of Defense
The chairman of the advanced combat systems company ‘Raphael’ – MK and former minister Yuval Steinitz, referred to the new measures that the Israeli security system uses, and said that the ‘Laser’ system is already deployed on the Gaza border.
Steinitz told journalist Lior Keenan: “We deployed ‘Magan Or’ against Gaza for the first time in history, following the deployment we made a leap in capabilities, we put it into action besides activating the interception itself.”
We will remind you that in 2020 the Directorate for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructures (MPAAT) in the Ministry of Defense unveiled an interception system based on a laser, which will complement the Iron Dome system.
Head of Research and Development in the Directorate for Development at the Ministry of Defense at the time, Brigadier General Yaniv Rotem told about the new development: “We are entering a new era of ‘energy warfare’ in the air, on land and at sea. The research and development investments made at MFA in recent years place Israel among the leading countries in the field of high-powered lasers. During 2020, we will perform a demonstration of the laser’s capabilities in the field.”
According to him, “This weapon will be a force multiplier for the IDF’s defense capabilities: for air defense, border protection, and even for the IDF’s maneuvering capabilities. The vision for the future is to see the laser flown on aerial aircraft – and even use it as an offensive weapon.”
The head of the optronics department at the PAAT, Dobi Oster at the time said that “for the first time, after our dreams and desires to reach an efficient weapon system that is based on energy and not through ‘flying irons’, we are definitely getting close to it.”
He explained that “today, lasers are already in industries, for welding vehicles, among other things, but in quantities of a few kilowatts, and to intercept with a laser you need tens of kilowatts. The capability we developed is based on an electric and not a chemical laser that was found to be dangerous and less effective, as we tried in the past. The goal is to reach an amount of about 100 kilowatts, and this is how we are precise and hit the target – even at a range of over 5 km.”
The Ministry of Defense stated that “this system is safe and does not emit ionizing radiation. The danger is only to those within the range of the laser, and the firing of the laser can be stopped within a thousandth of a second if it is feared that a friendly aircraft will be damaged by it.”
“If we complete the development of the system on an airplane, we will be able to overcome the weather obstacle, since the interception from the airplane will be above the height of the clouds and thus the coverage area will also be larger. As a vision, the system will be installed on an unmanned aircraft. We will be able to intercept the rockets above the head of the enemy and thereby save alarms. Later we will open the system to intercept drones as well.”
Yuval Shtinitz with Lior Keinan (Photo: Shevtarbut Be’er Sheva)