Lockheed Martin, Israel’s Rafael team up on high-energy laser system

TEL AVIV — American juggernaut Lockheed Martin and Israeli firm Rafael today announced a joint effort to develop laser defense systems based on Israel’s Iron Beam project.

The teaming agreement includes jointly developing, testing and manufacturing a High Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWS) in the US and Israel, including development of a “variant” of the weapon for the American market.

Israeli sources told Breaking Defense that initial efforts will aim for producing a system made up of a pair of solid-state lasers that, combined, could boost power up to 300 kilowatts. Another goal is 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’s more than one threat, like, say, a swarm of armed UAVs or a salvo of rockets.

The sources said the agreement followed visits in recent months by Lockheed officials to Israel where they observed the Iron Beam in use. Both companies declined to say how much the project is expected to cost.

“This strategic teaming agreement serves as a force multiplier for RAFAEL and the Israeli market. 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,” said Rafael CEO and President Yoav Har-Even, a retired major general in the IDF.

Lockheed 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.”

Once the stuff of science fiction, Israel has aggressively pushed its development of the Iron Beam system, including showing the tech to President Joe Biden during a visit to Israel in July. In October, a Rafael executive said the 100 kilowatt weapon could be ready for operational use in two year’s time.

While sources said the Lockheed-Rafael initiative would aim for a more powerful laser than the current Iron Beam system, one defense industry source said even more power, up to 1 megawatt, would be necessary to defeat armaments beyond short-range rockets and missiles.

As it is, current laser systems would still be invaluable to air defense systems against asymmetric threats.

“We see the capability of Iron Beam, which was developed alongside the [Israeli military research office] as a technological breakthrough, with its proven effectiveness against some of the most sophisticated threats including rockets, mortars, drones and UAVs, including in swarms,” said Executive Vice President Ran Gozali, head of the Land and Naval Systems Directorate at Rafael. “The system is designed to provide defense against emerging threats in today’s complex battlefield, bolstering the strength of the Israeli Homefront, and is a catalyst for forging bilateral collaborations.”