Israel Deploys World's First Drone Defense Laser (tomshardware.com)
- Reference: 0180489185
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/12/31/0020214/israel-deploys-worlds-first-drone-defense-laser
- Source link: https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/100kw-iron-beam-laser-becomes-worlds-first-drone-defense-zapper-to-be-operationally-deployed-it-can-also-shoot-down-rockets-mortars-and-other-aerial-threats
> The Iron Beam is a short-range line-of-sight laser interceptor that is extremely cheap to run and, therefore, perfectly suited for intercepting low-cost, high-volume threats. According to the official Israeli announcement, Iron Beam systems have "successfully intercepted rockets, mortars, and UAVs."
>
> A complex mix of government, military, scientific, and commercial interests were responsible for the research and development of the Iron Beam laser system. Central to the Iron Beam are "an advanced laser source and a unique electro-optical targeting system, enabling the interception of a wide range of targets at an enhanced operational range, with maximum precision and superior efficiency," boasted the press release by Israel's MoD. Moreover, it works "at a negligible marginal cost, which constitutes the laser system's primary advantage."
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> We don't get much more by way of technical details, perhaps understandably. However, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems execs heralded the system's "unique adaptive optics technology," in what it calls "the world's most advanced laser-based system for intercepting aerial threats." Its operational debut "marks the beginning of the era of high-energy laser defense," they claimed.
[1] https://mod.gov.il/en/press-releases/press-room/israel-mod-and-rafael-deliver-first-operational-high-power-laser-system-iron-beam-to-the-idf
[2] https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/100kw-iron-beam-laser-becomes-worlds-first-drone-defense-zapper-to-be-operationally-deployed-it-can-also-shoot-down-rockets-mortars-and-other-aerial-threats
Live action Missile Command? (Score:2)
All they need to do is put it on a track. Somehow I got the idea from the summary that they were drones with lasers but the image pretty clearly shows a heavy device mounted on a platform.
What are they going to do put one on every rooftop? Looks like there will still be a lot of shrapnel if they blow them up in the air.
We know what comes next (Score:1)
They have lasers now. Very strong lasers that can hit a bullet with a bullet. They said it couldn't happen but they have them and now we're going to have them. We're going to have beautiful lasers protecting the homeland because of me. Rocket boy doesn't have a chance. And neither do the narcoterrorists. We can put the lasers in space and hit a boat full of poison for our children. Coal powered. You won't believe what we're going to do. I know Marjorie. Sweet beautiful Marjorie. Believed it before it happen
Re: (Score:3)
FWIW Marjorie never said "Jewish Space Lasers", and Sarah Palin never said "I can see Russia from my porch". I don't agree with either of them politically but I think it's important to be fair and not make bad faith attacks against them, "for the lulz".
Lasers are not the solution - another PR Stunt (Score:4, Interesting)
Lasers need a honking big power supply, think 20ft container size. Capacitors to drive it are juicy on radars, and the emf spike is triangulated. Overdriven lasers, wear out. There is a lifetime, and it is not huge, maybe a low as 100 shots. Weather and rain. 5km range, but 1 km would be more like it. Drones and glide bombs are SO cost effective in wiping out both tanks and container sized trucks. So basically expensive kit, restricted use. Probably best to guard Patriot like million bucks a pop systems. Best bang for buck is getting out of war and into peace.
Re: (Score:1, Flamebait)
A significant percentage of followers of Mohamed aren't into peace. Hence the need for systems like this.
Jewish Space Lasers again (Score:2)
[1]https://www.aju.edu/events/jew... [aju.edu]
[1] https://www.aju.edu/events/jewish-space-lasers-conspiracy-theories-and-antisemitism
Bravo! Amazing tech! (Score:1)
Hats off to Israel for taking a huge step towards solving the dangers of drones.
Yay! (Score:1)
Here's something from my country that I can be proud of (while I've got many things to be ashamed of... thanks to our stupid, bad government... I really hope they get dethroned soon)
reflective coating (Score:1)
seems easy to defeat, just make ur bombs reflective. i'm sure it will still absorb some energy, but enough to make it explode in air? would it take multiple pulses there by lowering the number of objects that can be targeted?
Re: (Score:1)
If only the developers had come here first and asked the geniuses of Slashdot to identify any possible issues, we could have worked them all out and saved everyone a lot of time and money.
Oh well.
Last years battle (Score:2)
Extremely manouvrable ground skimming UAVs will be cheap tech in the near future. Unless you mount the laser on balloons, they won't do shit against those.
The war in the Ukraine has massively accelerated low cost weapon development.
And in related news... (Score:2)
Iran has announced the first deployment of its disco-ball drone.
500 people were critically injured during the first clash between the disco-ball drone and Israel's drone defense laser. Officials said "the collateral damage over a wide area was significant and is something we're working to reduce".
Re: (Score:1, Offtopic)
you mean the illegaly occupied territories? that's their land.
Re: (Score:1)
Except Gaza hadn't been occupied for the 17 years prior to Hamas' invasion of Israel.
Re: Wow (Score:1, Insightful)
For 17 years before Oct 7, Gaza lived under an Israeli-imposed land, air, and sea blockade that restricted food, fuel, medicine, movement, and trade, widely described as collective punishment of 2+ million civilians. Israel controlled Gazaâ(TM)s borders, airspace, fishing waters, population registry, electricity, and imports, even after withdrawing settlers. During that time, Israel launched multiple large military assaults (2008â"09, 2012, 2014, 2021, and others), killing thousands of Palestinia
Re: Wow (Score:2)
Would under seige be language more to your liking?
They didn't have free import or export ability, so it definitely feels like a seige.
Re: (Score:1)
Not according to any fucking map drawn in your lifetime. You might as well say Americans should go back to England (I know they're not mostly from there, that's my point)
Re: (Score:1, Offtopic)
602 Palestinians, over 400 of which were kids died from Jan 1 to October 6, 2023. Thats to say nothing of having lost their land, their villages, their farms, their freedom to an inexcusable degree for 75 years. Let's not pretend the Middle East conflict started on Oct 7, 2023. It started when Palestinians accepted Jews coming from Germany, rather than make them settle an Israel in the Rhineland where it should have been.
Even if Hamas was the bad guy, Israel is the insane bad buy with a badge who kills
Re: (Score:1, Offtopic)
"Invade" is a very gentle word to describe what they did.
Re: (Score:1, Offtopic)
All that, you know what is worse? Jew...
Re: (Score:2)
Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I have never heard about this issue. It’s weird there isn’t protest marches outside parliament and people giving out pamphlets outside every train station and online campaigns and people wearing flags and placards and bangles and stickers on their backpacks about it.
Re: (Score:3)
[1]https://www.un.org/unispal/doc... [un.org]
[1] https://www.un.org/unispal/document/special-rapporteur-report-gaza-genocide-a-collective-crime-20oct25/
Re: (Score:3)
Most genocides don't include an offer to stop as soon as the other side returns hostages. This is at the most an "easily negotiated against genocide". I understand the urge to hold Jews to an impossible double standard (and there's a word for that) but imagine if it were your loved ones being kidnapped and tortured, and what you wouldn't be willing to do to get them back.
Re: Feel free to ignore the facts.... (Score:1)
Anonymous Coward 6 hours ago This is a democratic republic and the government works for YOU, the People. That we the People aren't taking control of government and your kind spends time pointing blame at a vague villain you call "government" just shows how little we deserve liberty.
Re: Feel free to ignore the facts.... (Score:2)
No, they never offered anything official ... even though they knew for 99% certain that it would never be signed without a right of return. That 1% chance it would be signed meant Israel can not and will not offer anything real.
A slow motion ethnic cleansing of greater Israel (with maybe some speedup if there is a WW3) has and will continue to be the only plan which is politically acceptable in Israel, the rest is just distraction. That's not to say there aren't significant forces inside Israel for other so
Re: (Score:2)
Let's also talk about how they must be fucking saints to dump all this money into shooting down incoming rockets and drones. If an enemy launched a sustained rocket and drone strike on the US, we would push them back to the stone age if that's what it took to stop the attacks. Shooting down incoming munitions? That's far too kind a response.
Re: (Score:1)
No. Let's talk about the new laser, since (a) that's the subject of the /. article, and (b) what you're saying is nonsense agitprop.
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No one with a brain thinks that a country that sends millions of text messages, phone calls, drops leaflets, etc. to warn civilians to leave a warzone is intending to genocide them. No one with a brain would think that Egypt is serious when they join South Africa's "genocide" case at the ICJ, yet they simultaneously keep the Rafah Gate sealed shut, preventing any refugees
Re: (Score:2)
Oh, it's fucking hilarious. People cry genocide and then cry to keep the borders shut. With that in mind, it becomes clear that the left are insane liars, or the left are genocidal maniacs.