The system is designed to destroy short-range projectiles too close for the Iron Dome system to intercept effectively.

It should be good for drones too, taking a cue from Ukraine where they're proving to be very disruptive. Drones are moving slow enough to get adequate dwell time out of the laser. IIRC the system, which has been in development for a while, was originally designed as an anti-drone air defense ADAD. Drawback is they need a system at each and every area they want to defend, which could add up to being a lot.

https://interestingengineering.com/military/israels-iron-beam-laser-weapon-may-join-combat-service-soon

On Mon, 16 Oct 2023 04:52:18 -0700 (PDT), Fred Bloggs
<bloggs.fredbloggs.fred@gmail.com> wrote:

>The system is designed to destroy short-range projectiles too close for the Iron Dome system to intercept effectively.
>
>It should be good for drones too, taking a cue from Ukraine where they're proving to be very disruptive. Drones are moving slow enough to get adequate dwell time out of the laser. IIRC the system, which has been in development for a while, was originally designed as an anti-drone air defense ADAD. Drawback is they need a system at each and every area they want to defend, which could add up to being a lot.
>
>https://interestingengineering.com/military/israels-iron-beam-laser-weapon-may-join-combat-service-soon
>
>

They need something like that. Hamas fired 5000 cheap rockets into
Israel and claimed to have 100K more available. No smart kinetic
weapons will ever be available to intercept a huge number of dumb
rockets. Even a laser defense can be overwhelmed by thousands of
rockets, all a few seconds out.

But offense against defending lasers shouldn't be difficult. Make lots
of shiny rockets and shells. Have any laser defense systems actually
worked?

Interesting that Hamas used suicide pilots in motorized hang gliders,
and not drones.

Some iman said that western religions are the religions of life, and
Islam is the religion of death.

On Monday, October 16, 2023 at 10:40:03 AM UTC-4, John Larkin wrote:
> On Mon, 16 Oct 2023 04:52:18 -0700 (PDT), Fred Bloggs
> <bloggs.fred...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >The system is designed to destroy short-range projectiles too close for the Iron Dome system to intercept effectively.
> >
> >It should be good for drones too, taking a cue from Ukraine where they're proving to be very disruptive. Drones are moving slow enough to get adequate dwell time out of the laser. IIRC the system, which has been in development for a while, was originally designed as an anti-drone air defense ADAD.. Drawback is they need a system at each and every area they want to defend, which could add up to being a lot.
> >
> >https://interestingengineering.com/military/israels-iron-beam-laser-weapon-may-join-combat-service-soon
> >
> >
> They need something like that. Hamas fired 5000 cheap rockets into
> Israel and claimed to have 100K more available. No smart kinetic
> weapons will ever be available to intercept a huge number of dumb
> rockets.

Israel has that Tamir interceptor for the small stuff. It's not cheap for the system but IIRC the interceptor is 50k$:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Dome

Patriot is out of the question at $$$ millions per missile.

>Even a laser defense can be overwhelmed by thousands of
> rockets, all a few seconds out.

There are things they can do to extend the reaction time. Like detect the launch and not wait for a surveillance radar of lidar to pick it up. Problem with those dumb Qassam things HAMAS uses is just that, they're dumb projectiles, so they need to be damaged enough by the laser to destabilize their flight. That spells a very powerful laser.

>
> But offense against defending lasers shouldn't be difficult. Make lots
> of shiny rockets and shells. Have any laser defense systems actually
> worked?

They do have a demonstrated capability of taking down drones at long range with their laser.

>
> Interesting that Hamas used suicide pilots in motorized hang gliders,
> and not drones.

Maybe Alibaba doesn't sell them.

>
> Some iman said that western religions are the religions of life, and
> Islam is the religion of death.

Islam in this context is just a spiel they use to attract low IQ dupes into the fold. The religion proper is based on Judaism, Christian and some other beliefs ( far eastern?).

On a sunny day (Mon, 16 Oct 2023 04:52:18 -0700 (PDT)) it happened Fred Bloggs
<bloggs.fredbloggs.fred@gmail.com> wrote in
<e75f6963-fecb-4cb4-915c-cd46bf8d1f0cn@googlegroups.com>:

>The system is designed to destroy short-range projectiles too close for the=
> Iron Dome system to intercept effectively.
>
>It should be good for drones too, taking a cue from Ukraine where they're p=
>roving to be very disruptive. Drones are moving slow enough to get adequate=
> dwell time out of the laser. IIRC the system, which has been in developmen=
>t for a while, was originally designed as an anti-drone air defense ADAD. D=
>rawback is they need a system at each and every area they want to defend, w=
>hich could add up to being a lot.
>
>https://interestingengineering.com/military/israels-iron-beam-laser-weapon-may-join-combat-service-soon

Bit or Reagan starwars perhaps...
quote:
"According to the company, the naval version will take 4 to 5 years to reach active availability."
Slow drones could use some reflective materials as protection.

It may be easier to attack the drone electronics with microwave beams and also jam their GPS (send fake GPS) and
jam their communication frequencies.
That technology exists.

On 16/10/2023 15:39, John Larkin wrote:
<snip>
>
> But offense against defending lasers shouldn't be difficult. Make lots
> of shiny rockets and shells.

Box corner reflectors.

--
Cheers
Clive

On Monday, October 16, 2023 at 7:40:03 AM UTC-7, John Larkin wrote:
> On Mon, 16 Oct 2023 04:52:18 -0700 (PDT), Fred Bloggs
> <bloggs.fred...@gmail.com> wrote:
>

> >https://interestingengineering.com/military/israels-iron-beam-laser-weapon-may-join-combat-service-soon

> They need something.... Even a laser defense can be overwhelmed by thousands of
> rockets, all a few seconds out.
>
> But offense against defending lasers shouldn't be difficult. Make lots
> of shiny rockets and shells. Have any laser defense systems actually
> worked?

Oh, not so fast; shiny things are usually metal, and metals obey Ohm's law;
reflection is a consequence of mirror currents in the metal.

Get the currents high enough, and Ohm's law guarantees heating. Missile becomes hot gas
on "this end toward enemy".