The Lite Beam.. Rafael defense company is showcasing a LASER-based interception system to be installed on the IDF military vehicles in the field.

[1LoverofGod]

This is pretty wild. Israel’s Rafael defense company is showcasing a LASER-based interception system to be installed on the IDF military vehicles in the field. The Laser system will be effective against drones & possibly mortar shells.

Israel plans on installing this new Laser based system on Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs), Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs), and Main Battle Tanks (MBTs).

Israeli Defense sources told the Jerusalem Post that the LITE BEAM’S operational capabilities have been field proven, though Israel declined to disclose exactly when and how the IDF has used such capabilities in the field in Gaza or Lebanon.

The LITE BEAM will be effective against drones and possibly against mortar shells. It will not shoot down most rockets or long-range missiles, but Israel is excited that the IRON BEAM LASER DEFENSE system will come online and begin shooting these smaller munitions down in 2025.

BubbaNews

This is pretty wild. Israel’s Rafael defense company is showcasing a LASER-based interception system to be installed on the IDF military vehicles in the field. The Laser system will be effective against drones & possibly mortar shells. Israel plans on installing this new Laser based system on...

t.me

 

[1LoverofGod]

Story on The Lite Beam

Rafael rolls out Lite Beam laser, Trophy updates to protect vehicles from drone threats
Jerusalem — Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems this week is introducing its new Lite Beam laser air defense system to counter drone threats, as well as updated capabilities for its Trophy active protection system to counter aerial threats, such as those posed by UAVs whose munitions threaten vehicles from above.

The more eye-catching of the two systems is Lite Beam, which may be best thought of as a miniature version of the Iron Beam anti-rocket system Rafael has been developing for years.

The system has been reported to have a range of around 2,000 meters, and is made up of a 10 kW laser. Many smaller commercially available quadcopters or similar types of drones fly at altitudes in ranges of a few hundred meters to 5,000 meters, but of course if a loitering munition or kamikaze drone is incoming, the distance would close quickly.

Laser defensive systems have some natural challenges, including the need to stay on target long enough for the beam to penetrate the outside of the incoming system. As a result, the company says it has combined Lite Beam with its Samson 30mm Remote Weapon Station (RWS), mounted on a four-wheeled platform. (The 30mm Samson has previously been featured on a Boxer by Rafael’s Pearson subsidiary in 2023. This could illustrate the possible use of the Lite Beam and Samson combination on platforms such as the Boxer.)

That combo would provide flexible and mobile force protection for infantry or vehicle-borne forces, providing multiple options to hard-kill against drones. Or, as the company put it, “These solutions provide maneuvering forces with robust force protection and flexibility against a wide range of airborne threats, including UAVs.”

More

Rafael rolls out Lite Beam laser, Trophy updates to protect vehicles from drone threats - Breaking Defense

“These solutions provide maneuvering forces with robust force protection and flexibility against a wide range of airborne threats, including UAVs,” Rafael said in a statement.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Tall Timbers]

Too bad it isn't ready to deploy now.