Israel’s high-powered laser interception system, dubbed Iron Beam, is expected to be operational next year.
That’s according to the director-general of Israel’s foreign ministry Eyal Zamir, who signed a $535m (£411m) contract with manufacturers Rafael and Elbit yesterday.
Iron Beam would supplement Israel’s other aerial defence capacities, such as the more well-known Iron Dome.
These have been unable to intercept every projectile launched into Israel, resulting in both civilian and military casualties.
The cost of a single Iron Dome interception is thought to be about $50,000 (£38,400). Iron Beam interceptions, by contrast, would cost a few dollars apiece.
“This may sound like science-fiction, but it’s real,” said Israel’s former prime minister Naftali Bennett in 2022, adding the Iron Beam’s interceptions would be silent, invisible and cost $3.50 each.
This month, the US equipped Israel with a highly advanced defence system that possesses the ability to fend off ballistic missiles inside or outside the atmosphere.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) requires a crew of 95 soldiers to operate it, which the US is also supplying.
You can read more on Israel’s air defence systems below.