The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry’s headquarters in Tel Aviv, attended by senior officials, including Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eyal Zamir, Director General of the Ministry of Defense, and Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Dr. Daniel Gold, Head of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D). Yoav Tourgeman, CEO of Rafael, and Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, President and CEO of Elbit Systems, were also present, showcasing the collaboration between these major defence firms.
The Iron Beam is a cutting-edge, ground-based high-power laser system designed to intercept a variety of aerial threats such as rockets, mortars, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and cruise missiles. Developed under the DDR&D’s R&D Unit, the project highlights Israel’s pioneering efforts in defence technology. The system has proven its capabilities through numerous successful trials and is set to become an integral component of Israel’s multi-layered air defence strategy.
Yoav Tourgeman, CEO of Rafael, expressed the company’s pride in leading the initiative: “Rafael is proud to lead the development and delivery of the Iron Beam, world’s first advanced high-power laser system for intercepting a wide range of aerial threats. After years of research, development, and significant technological breakthroughs in laser technology at Rafael, along with an extensive series of successful trials, the Iron Beam system will soon reach maturity for operational deployment.”
The addition of Iron Beam will complement existing systems such as Iron Dome and David’s Sling, strengthening Israel’s defensive capabilities and providing a more cost-effective solution to counter aerial threats. This marks a step forward in addressing both current and future defence challenges.
Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, President and CEO of Elbit Systems, underscored the importance of this advancement: “As Israel’s global leader in high-power laser technology, Elbit Systems welcomes the significant progress in the Iron Beam project and is proud of its contribution to its success. The capabilities developed at Elbit that will be integrated into Iron Beam represent a quantum leap in future defence technology against various threats.”
