Israel hails ‘breakthrough’ towards laser air defence system
The Israeli defence ministry has hailed a “breakthrough” in the development of cheaper laser-based air defences, as tensions soar in the region after Iran hit US targets in retaliation for a high-profile assassination.
The lasers, still under development, would be capable of intercepting “everything” fired at Israel, including long and medium range missiles, rockets, mortar rounds and drones, an official told AFP on Thursday, asking not to be identified.
The new technology, which Israel hopes to test later this year, uses electricity to power the lasers, doing away with the need for stocks of munitions, the official said.
The lasers would be used to “complement” existing air defences such as the short-range Iron Dome system, David’s Sling, which targets medium-range threats, and the Arrow, Israel’s highest-altitude missile interception system.
It is not clear when the system will become operational.
While Israel prepares to test the technology, countries across the Middle East remain on alert following last week’s killing of a top Iranian general in a US drone strike in Baghdad.
The shock assassination of Major General Qasem Soleimani raised alarm in Israel -- a key US ally -- that it could be hit after Tehran warned it would be among the targets for reprisals if Washington took any further military action.
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