Amid ongoing regional threats, Israel ramps up Iron Dome production, prepares for operational Iron Beam

The director-general of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amir Baram signed a procurement order with Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to accelerate the production of the Iron Dome defense system. According to the agreement, Rafael will deliver “a substantial quantity of Iron Dome interceptors” to the Defense Ministry and the Israeli military.

The signing comes amid growing concern that Israel could face a shortage of Iron Dome interceptors after tens of thousands of rockets and drones were launched at the country by Iran’s terrorist proxies over the past two years, beginning with the Hamas Oct. 7 terror attack in southern Israel.

Rafael President and CEO Yoav Turgeman said that he welcomed the procurement agreement.

“Over the past two years, Rafael’s air-defense systems, Iron Dome and David’s Sling, have played a major role in Israel's air defense and have repeatedly demonstrated their exceptional ability to intercept a wide range of threats targeting Israeli civilians,” Turgeman said.  

Turgeman noted that a new layer of air defense will be added with Iron Beam – a laser-based system.

“Soon, they will be joined by the first operational laser-based defense system emerging from Rafael’s production lines. The expanded procurement reflects renewed confidence in Iron Dome, which has become a global benchmark for air-defense systems,” Turgeman said.

The Iron Beam is a high-power laser system for ground-based air defense against aerial threats (rockets, mortar shells, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles). In December 2022, Rafael signed an agreement with Lockheed Martin to develop a variant of the Iron Beam for the United States military. 

The order to expand production of the Iron Beam was eventually signed in October 2024.

Rafael Chairman Dr. Yuval Steinitz emphasized that purchasing the new interceptors from Rafael represents a major step that will keep Israel at the forefront of defense technology well into the future.

“The procurement of interceptors from Rafael marks a significant leap forward that will secure Israel’s decisive technological advantage for years to come,” Steinitz said. “We remain committed to providing the defense establishment with the most advanced, groundbreaking solutions in the world, to protect the nation’s skies – both the front lines and the home front. This latest procurement is a clear testament to the strength of Israel’s defense industry and to the critical importance of local production. Rafael provides not only exceptional operational capabilities but also plays a vital role in national economic growth and in reinforcing Israel’s position as a global technological powerhouse.”

The director-general of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Maj.-Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram, noted that Israel anticipates expanding its production cooperation with the United States.

“This contract will dramatically enhance the multi-layered defense posture and strategic stability of the State of Israel. Joint production in Israel and the United States exemplifies the potential of our technological and industrial partnership – a collaboration the Israel Ministry of Defense is eager to expand across additional systems and domains,” Baram said.