Elbit Systems: Israel’s Laser Powerhouse

Ground and airborne High Power Laser (HPL) systems may have the potential to be a strategic game changer for Israel, a paradigm shift in military strategy that will not only enhance defense capabilities but also help reshape warfare dynamics, striving to position Israel at the forefront of modern military technology.
Such HPL, also known as High-Energy Laser Weapons Systems (HELWS), could effectively shoot down incoming hostile unmanned aerial vehicles or missiles far from the country’s borders and for a fraction of the cost of current air defense systems. Governments and militaries around the globe are advancing the development and deployment of HPL technology, driven by the pressing need to counter increasingly advanced and widely available weaponry employed by enemy states and terror organizations.

These adversaries are flooding battlefields with low-cost but sometimes highly precise weapons, which, despite their affordability, can inflict significant damage. The growing proliferation of such weapons, including UAV and guided munitions, pose a meaningful threat, necessitating advanced defenses like HPL systems to neutralize them before they can cause harm. “Right now, dealing with the number of threats that we see our enemies are accumulating is very challenging. An HPL interception system would potentially handle a lot and in a synchronized fashion,” said K, a senior official in Elbit System’s ISTAR & EW Division.

Precision, Reliability, and Cost-Effectiveness

Elbit Systems has positioned itself as a global leader in laser technology, evolving from its extensive experience and expertise in development and production of lasers for various applications. The company’s lasers are renowned for their precision, reliability, and effectiveness in a wide range of scenarios, from military operations to civilian applications. Elbit’s expertise in lasers spans across different domains, including directed energy weapons, laser rangefinders, laser designators, and Directed laser-based countermeasure systems (DIRCM). 

Over the past decade, Elbit has reached meaningful milestones, particularly with the development of High Power Fiber-Laser technology for Israel’s Ministry of Defense. This advancement was highlighted by successful airborne demonstrations where airborne HPL system intercepted and neutralized multiple aerial threats. This breakthrough represents a remarkable advancement in directed energy weapons, underscoring Elbit’s capacity to push the boundaries of laser-based defense systems. “Hostile actors have a lot more rockets, missiles and drones and while they are cheap, they are becoming more and more precise,” said K. “Many are recognizing the importance of this and are focusing on developing laser defense systems as a cost-effective alternative to traditional interceptors, which are extremely expensive in comparison.”

The primary advantages of the HPL system are its precision, rapid response, and cost-efficiency. Unlike most traditional kinetic weapons, laser interception systems are aimed to detect, engage and defeat threats within seconds, delivering a highly accurate strike as soon as the threat is identified. This is meant to allow for rapid response to  provide a higher level of protection for both military and civilian targets. “Laser weapons also have the potential to reduce collateral damage compared to kinetic systems,” said H, another senior official in Elbit Systems’ ISTAR & EW Division.

According to H, “on land, we believe HPL systems could be deployed to protect critical infrastructure or mounted on vehicles to safeguard troops and mobile forces. In the air, these systems could be integrated into aircraft to intercept aerial threats at a wide range of altitudes, having the potential to provide a flexible and adaptable defense solution across multiple operational environments.”

An extra layer of protection

Israel’s comprehensive defense network, designed to counter the increasing threats from missiles and drones, includes the Iron Dome, the Arrow systems (Arrow-2 and Arrow-3), and the David’s Sling missile defense system. The addition of HPL interceptors is intended to serve as an extra layer of protection, complementing these already operational systems to further strengthen Israel’s multi-tiered defense strategy.

In April 2021, the Defense Ministry along with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit carried out successful interception tests using the ground laser system known as Iron Beam. “We play a pivotal role in this project,” said H. “Our contribution is at the core of the system, as we provide the advanced, military-grade HPL source.” While developing a ground-based laser interception system is complex, designing an airborne interception system is “even more challenging,” said K.

In June 2021, the Defense Ministry and Elbit Systems successfully carried out a series of interceptions to shoot down UAVs with a powerful airborne laser system installed on a civilian light aircraft. With that trial, according to the Defense Ministry, Israel became the first country, except for perhaps the United States, to use laser technology on an aircraft to intercept aerial targets in a live demonstration.

“We recognize that the key challenges lie in SWaP-C (size, weight, power and cooling) and adapting to dynamic operational scenarios” K explained. “We are collaborating with the Ministry of Defense to address these complexities. Since completing the feasibility study, we are now focused on developing operational solutions to advance this technology further.” “Elbit Systems believes that HPL systems could play a crucial role of all types of platforms, enhancing their defensive capabilities across air, land, and maritime environments” added H.

An airborne interception method utilizing an HPL would present several key advantages. It could offer a considerably lower cost per interception compared to traditional systems and could be capable of neutralizing long-range threats at a wide range of altitudes. Its performance would be mostly unaffected by weather conditions, providing consistent protection in various environments. Furthermore, the system could operate far from the nation’s borders, making it highly mobile and adaptable, ready for rapid deployment in diverse operational scenarios.

As the threat landscape in the region continues to evolve, we believe Elbit Systems’ high power laser source and the company’s future developments in the field of directed energy weapons (DEW) is important to enhancing the safety of civilian populations and reinforces Elbit’s position as a global innovator in the defense industry.

“We play a pivotal role in this project,” said H. “Our contribution is at the core of the system, as we provide the advanced, military-grade HPL source.”

While developing a ground-based laser interception system is complex, designing an airborne interception system is “even more challenging,” said K.

In June 2021, the Defense Ministry and Elbit Systems successfully carried out a series of interceptions to shoot down UAVs with a powerful airborne laser system installed on a civilian light aircraft. With that trial, according to the Defense Ministry, Israel became the first country, except for perhaps the United States, to use laser technology on an aircraft to intercept aerial targets in a live demonstration.

“We recognize that the key challenges lie in SWaP-C (size, weight, power and cooling) and adapting to dynamic operational scenarios” K explained. “We are collaborating with the Ministry of Defense to address these complexities. Since completing the feasibility study, we are now focused on developing operational solutions to advance this technology further.”

“Elbit Systems believes that HPL systems could play a crucial role of all types of platforms, enhancing their defensive capabilities across air, land, and maritime environments” added H.

An airborne interception method utilizing an HPL would present several key advantages. It could offer a considerably lower cost per interception compared to traditional systems and could be capable of neutralizing long-range threats at a wide range of altitudes. Its performance would be mostly unaffected by weather conditions, providing consistent protection in various environments. Furthermore, the system could operate far from the nation’s borders, making it highly mobile and adaptable, ready for rapid deployment in diverse operational scenarios.

As the threat landscape in the region continues to evolve, we believe Elbit Systems’ high power laser source and the company’s future developments in the field of directed energy weapons (DEW) is important to enhancing the safety of civilian populations and reinforces Elbit’s position as a global innovator in the defense industry.

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