Jerusalem (AFP)
Israel will test in the coming weeks a new laser facilitating the interception of drones or anti-tank missiles, announced the authorities in a regional context of tension with Iran, sworn enemy of the Hebrew State.
The Defense Ministry welcomed this week this technological "breakthrough" aimed at strengthening the anti-aircraft arsenal of the Hebrew State, which carried out in August a strike in neighboring Syria to counter according to the Israeli army an "attack the suicide bomber "that Iran was preparing against Israel.
In "response" to this Israeli strike, the Lebanese pro-Iranian Hezbollah had fired anti-tank missiles on Israel which had immediately responded by striking southern Lebanon.
Developed by Israel, the new laser will be able to intercept "everything" that is launched towards the Hebrew state, including medium and long range missiles, anti-tank missiles and drones, AFP told AFP. Israeli Defense official requesting anonymity.
They will "support" the anti-missile shields "Iron Dome", used mainly to counter short-range projectiles, "Fronde de David", which targets threats at medium range, and Arrow, intended for the interception of long-range missiles , said the official.
The Ministry of Defense must conduct tests during the year with the ambition of using these lasers on mobile platforms to protect soldiers or a target on the ground.
- Lightning struck "in a second" -
According to the authorities, this "breakthrough" stems from the use of electricity and not chemistry to generate laser power, which is more efficient and less expensive than the missiles currently used to counter air threats.
But the most important is the speed factor, because once the laser has identified its target, it can eliminate it in "a second", explains to AFP Isaac Ben Israel, former head of research at the Ministry of Defense who now heads the security studies program at Tel Aviv University.
"Israel already has a good air defense system (...) The problem is when balloons or drones are launched a few hundred meters away, and you only see them when they can already launch a bomb on you. "
"The regular defense systems (...) are insufficient. The threat is too immediate," he said. "This is where the (laser) system has an advantage."
However, he noted that poor visibility caused by clouds or sandstorms could reduce the use of this technology.
The Israeli announcement of this technological "breakthrough" comes against a backdrop of exacerbated regional tensions after a deadly American strike that targeted Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, a powerful architect of Iranian strategy in the Middle East, last week in Baghdad.
© 2020 AFP