Israeli Air Force expects laser weapons to be operational within 3 years, commander says

The Israeli Air Force (IAF), widely regarded as one of the world’s leading air powers, has played a central role over the past three years in Israel’s ongoing conflict with Iran and its regional proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Its capabilities are driven by a combination of highly trained personnel and advanced military technology.

IAF Col. M., who commands an F-15 squadron and also heads the Air Force’s Force Buildup and Weapons Systems Department, spoke to Ynet News, offering a rare inside perspective on Israel’s security challenges and the future development of airpower technologies.

"You need a technological mindset to understand the language, and a deep understanding of what the Air Force needs, what capabilities are missing and, like anywhere else, strong management and organizational skills. You need to understand the right way to deliver solutions. So over the past three years, I flew as a fighter pilot, commanded control cells in the Air Force and, above all, built the Air Force's capabilities for the current war and future wars," Col. M. said.

He addressed the current FPV drone threat from Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, which has killed and wounded multiple Israeli soldiers over the past two weeks.

"As a control-cell commander, I stand shifts defending Israel's skies, and every time a drone incident occurs, the entire Air Force mobilizes to intercept and shoot it down. I personally have downed quite a few such drones,” the IAF commander recalled.

"In the context of force development, I think it is fair to say that this is a challenge for which no one in the world yet has a complete solution. In recent months, Israel, the defense establishment, the IDF and the defense industries have understood the challenge. Existing technologies already offer solutions that need to be adapted into operational weapons systems, and that is what is currently underway.”

"Within the defense establishment, this is considered the most important and urgent issue. It is receiving all the resources and attention. I hope that in the near future we will see the systems and technologies that provide that protection," M. added.

Looking ahead, he predicts that laser weapons will play a leading role in countering the drone threats.

"At the moment, a fighter jet is not an effective solution against a drone, but I expect that to change once laser weapons enter service."

Col. M. said the Air Force could be equipped with such systems within three years. "We have taken laser technology into the aerial domain, both on helicopters and fighter jets. This is not science fiction or 'Star Trek.' Within a few years, fighter aircraft will carry lasers for both defensive and offensive missions,” he explained.

He predicts that laser-based weapons will be a game-changer, comparable to Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system.

"It will change the game, just as Iron Dome transformed air defense. Airborne lasers will add another dimension, and Israel is a global leader in this field."

"Lasers on helicopters could arrive within two years, and lasers on fighter jets by the end of the decade."

M. also revealed that the future of airpower is moving into the direction of autonomous weapons systems, which already played an important role during the Iran war.

"The world is moving in that direction, and the Air Force understands it and is taking the initiative," the IAF commander said. "We need drone and robotic capabilities at any point on the globe. We need to be able to deploy them there, transport them and have them receive missions remotely and operate independently."

Addressing the Iranian nuclear threat, Col. M. assessed that the Israeli Air Force is capable of eliminating Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

"I believe we have the capability to do so. Those decisions belong to the political leadership – whether to order such a mission and what costs it would entail,” he said.

"We understand how our enemy is building its capabilities, and we are developing ours accordingly, so that in the future we will have capabilities specifically tailored for missions of that kind."

Israel has already been pioneering laser tech for the other militaries. Last month, Israel provided the laser-based Iron Beam defense system to the United Arab Emirates to strengthen the country’s aerial defenses against Iranian missiles and drones during the war.