Light Blade
Light Blade (Lahav Or) is a laser-based air defense system intended to intercept airborne devices such as incendiary balloons, incendiary kites, and miniature UAVs such as quadcopters, and RAM (rocket, artillery, and mortar) threats. When first deployed in 2020, it was the first laser air defense system in the world.
Also recorded as Lahav Or
Light Blade
מינוזיג - MinoZig · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Light Blade
- Field
- laser weapon · air defense weapon
- Region
- Israel
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wikidata · Q86007590 · wikipedia · Light Blade
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Light Blade • Origin — Israel • Type — Laser air defense system • Is Missile — no • Used By — Israel Border Police • Wars — * Gaza–Israel conflict • Designer — OptiDefense • Design Date — 2010–2015 • Manufacturer — OptiDefense • Illustration — Helium balloons bearing flammable materials launched from Bureij in the Gaza Strip
Development
Development
Development was driven by the need for a cheaper missile defense alternative to the Iron Dome. The system is based on research involving engineers from Ben-Gurion University, the Israel Police, and the Research and Development Directorate of the Israel Defense Forces. Israel Border Police commission Yaakov Shabtai oversaw the system's development. It was officially revealed in 2019, with a claimed effective range of 2 km. Cost per interception is approximately US$3.50; cost per interception by Iron Dome was estimated at $100,000–150,000 in 2020.
Operational history
Operational history
Light Blade was deployed operationally for the first time in August 2020 by Israel Border Police in response to the launch of incendiary devices, such as explosive-laden balloons from parts of the Gaza Strip, that caused brush fires in southern Israel. The Sky Spotter system had been developed to spot and track balloons and kites and direct firefighters to their landing spots without delay, but there had been no way to intercept balloons. Light Blade succeeded with almost 100% of interceptions, but because of its short range balloons sent by Hamas from other areas of the Gaza Strip were not intercepted.
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- Israel
Named but not plotted · 1
Light Blade is associated with Israel.
Country
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Light Blade, revision 1368142604 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Saban, Itsik. Israel deploys first-of-its-kind laser system to Gaza border to fight incendiary balloons. Israel Hayom. 2020-08-12.
- 2.Staff. Israeli 'breakthrough' in laser defense will alter strategic reality. Israel Hayom. 2020-01-09.
- 3.Episkopos, Mark. The "Iron Beam": Israel's Anti-Missile Laser. The National Interest. 8 September 2020.
- 4.Magid, Jacob. Israel unveils new laser system to shoot down Gaza’s incendiary balloons, drones. The Times of Israel. 26 December 2019.
- 5.Ariel Amir, Tal. 'Light Blade' laser system intercepts nearly 100% of Hamas balloons in its sector. IsraelHayom. 26 August 2020.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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