Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, an Israeli defense and national security company, recently introduced a new defense system known as the Iron Beam, which works in concert with the existing Iron Dome defense system to intercept rockets, close-range drones, mortars, and missiles according to a Times of Israel report.
“It’s exactly like what you see in Star Wars,” company spokesman Amit Zimmer stated. “You see the lasers go up so quickly like a flash and the target is finished.”
The Iron Dome has successfully shot down hundreds of rockets launched by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip that are aimed at various cities in southern Israel and the Negev region. However, Israel is looking to further increase and enhance its security given the number of threats against the tiny country on any given day. The Iron Beam is reportedly hitting nearly 90 percent of its intended targets.
As reported by Haaretz, Avnish Patel, a military science expert at the Royal United Services Institute elaborated, "Essentially, its military and tactical utility will be particularly useful in complementing the already proven Iron Dome system in tackling very short range threats such as rockets and mortar fire and in close quarter engagements.”
Written by Erin Parfet
