Israel confirms world-first combat use of laser-beam weapon, downs Hezbollah drones

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust What just happened? Israel says it has become the first country to use a laser-based defense system in a combat setting. The Israel Defense Forces announced that the technology was used against Hezbollah drones in hostilities against the group along the Lebanese border last year. The 10kW Lite Beam prototype system that was used is a less powerful version of the Iron Beam laser interceptor, which is set to become operational sometime in 2025. Both systems were built by Israeli defense tech firm Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The Lite Beam system was used against the Hezbollah drones in late October last year, but it's only now that a ban on reporting on the weapon has been lifted. It marks the first instance of a laser system being used to shoot down drones in a combat scenario. The compact laser can be mounted on 4×4 wheeled vehicles, making it suitable for front-line deployment. The ... Read full article.