Israel to receive first Iron Beam laser defense system by year’s end

The head of the Directorate of Defense Research & Development, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Dr. Danny Gold, announced Monday at the Defense‑Tech conference in Tel Aviv that the directorate, together with Rafael and Elbit, will deliver the new laser weapon system Iron Beam (known in Hebrew as “Eitan Or” in memory of fallen soldier Eitan Oster) to the Air Force’s air‑defense branch by the end of the year.

According to Gold, the “first capability” will be handed over to the IDF on December 30, 2025. He added that “simultaneously we are already working on the next generations.” The IDF next needs to carry out integration and training o the laser defense system.

Iron Beam laser defense system

(Photo: Courtesy of Rafael)

“The Or Eitan laser system is expected to change the rules of the battlefield, and it is ready to be handed over to the IDF following completion of development and the testing sequence that proved the system’s capabilities,” Gold said. “In the defense‑tech world the game has changed — today startups compete head‑to‑head with major defense firms and prevail. Only recently a number of startups teamed up, competed against all the major defense industries in a directorate tender, and were selected to supply an attack‑drone array to the IDF.”

He added: “According to the Defense Ministry’s strategy, we are now deeply working on the next‑generation surprises for the coming war — in space, in offense, and in defense — and we will deploy them at the right time.

Iron Beam n action

(Photo: Spokesperson and Public Relations Division at the Defense Ministry )

He said that the directorate “is a production line producing the next surprises, the next game‑changers, combining the power of large defense industries with the amazing operational performance shown by the startups during the war — this is our foundation of strength going forward.”

‘All fronts still open — our enemies are preparing’

In 2024, the Defense Ministry signed 21 government‑to‑government (G2G) deals worth billions in the defense‑tech sphere. It also invested 1.2 billion shekels in startups, with over 300 currently working with the Defense Research & Development Directorate — more than 130 of them having participated in operational activity during the war, said Defense Ministry CEO Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amir Baram at the same conference Monday.

“For years, Israel was known as a ‘cyber nation.’ Today, we are a ‘defense‑tech nation,’ ” Baram said. “Our innovation capabilities span the entire spectrum — from air‑defense systems, autonomous tools, electronic warfare, quantum technologies, advanced intelligence systems, cyber, to space technologies.”

Baram said that Tel Aviv is now ranked as the third largest defense‑tech hub in the world. “Our large defense industries signed major international contracts across Europe, Asia and North America. Even the small and medium-sized firms are growing at a dizzying pace with contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Development of the Laser Defense Systemן”

(Video: Defense Ministry)

Addressing Israel’s geopolitical and security situation, Baram said: “All fronts are still open, and our enemies are learning and preparing day by day. This era brings with it uncertainty and risks, but also strategic opportunities for those who understand the moment. Reality never stays the same — not in strategy, not in technology — and anyone who does not adapt will ultimately be left behind.”

“The Defense Ministry is deeply engaged in developing next‑generation breakthrough technology for future conflict with Iran, both on offense and defense, and is developing additional capabilities,” according to Baram. “Right now, as we gather here, Israeli defense‑tech technologies are protecting lives worldwide. This is not just talk — it’s reality. Our existential needs and security challenges created a unique ecosystem that few in the world can replicate, where cutting‑edge defense‑tech systems meet decades of real operational experience. These systems have been proven on the battlefield. Insights from soldiers at the front directly shape the technological solutions to their operational needs. We have a direct feedback loop from the frontline to the defense‑industry engineers — and this creates a strong supply chain. That is the meaning of defense‑tech in Israel.”

Ministry of Defense Director General Amir Eshel at the Defense-Tech Conference

(Photo: Defense Ministry)

The second International Defense‑Tech Summit is an initiative of the Directorate of Defense Research & Development in the Defense Ministry, in cooperation with the Yuval Ne’eman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security at Tel Aviv University. This year’s summit focuses on technological innovation in light of wartime lessons.

Among the participants: head of the Directorate of Defense Research & Development in the Defense Ministry, Brig. Gen. (ret.) Dr. Danny Gold; the chair of the Cyber Research Center at Tel Aviv University; Maj. Gen. (ret.) Professor Yitzhak Ben‑Israel; head of the Space Administration at the Directorate of Defense Research & Development Avi Berger; Maj. Gen. (ret.) Nitzan Alon, assistant secretary for Critical Technologies; U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and head of the defense‑innovation unit, Michael “Mike” Doud; MIT Dean Fiona Marie; and Seán McGuire, partner at the global investment firm Sakoya.