IDEX 2025: Rafael increases missile and drone defence capability as threats and demands rise

Israel’s Rafael is at the forefront of the country’s missile defence system as prime on Iron Dome and also on systems such as Iron Beam air-defence laser and its variants.

It also manufactures David’s Sling which is the intermediate layer in Israel's multi-tiered missile defence architecture which fits between Iron Dome shorter-range and long-range Arrow systems.

Company president and CEO Yoav Tourgeman told Shephard that hundreds of staff had been called into uniform as part of a response to the attack.

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He said other employees and their families had stepped up to help ensure development and production hit even higher levels, with some scientists taking to the factory floor to help lines moves faster.

Tourgeman notes that a key capability developed by the company is the Iron Beam air, uncrewed aerial system (UAS) and missile defence 100kW high-beam laser. It is also developing smaller variants such as the Lite Beam and truck-mounted Iron Beam Mobile.

“We have finished development of the Iron Beam and we are now under a production order for almost US$2 billion,” Tourgeman said. “The first delivery is expected this year.

“At this point in time we cannot talk about the status of the smaller 10-15kW Lite Beam but it is something we are hopeful we will be able to talk about [in the near future].”

At AUSA 2024 in October, Rafael lifted the lid on the programme for Shephard and at that time said it was hoped to be operational within two years. The company has highlighted this as a 1,000kg payload designed for use with larger infantry vehicles to combat Group One and Group Two size UAS.

Lite Beam, with a range of 2-8km, would have been particularly useful against recent attacks on Israel and it is likely work on the system has been accelerated.

Tourgeman also spoke about the company’s Spyder All-in-One (AiO) air-defence system which integrates all critical components such as radar, sensors and missiles onto a single high-mobility 8x8 wheeled vehicle.

“Spyder AiO has the benefit of fast deployment and when you don't have air superiority and you have threats to air defence, the agility that you get from a totally independent mobile air defence is huge,” Tourgeman said.

“The Israeli Ministry of Defence conducted a live fire test of the Spyder AiO in December of 2023 and it has since been adapted for use within the air force as the IDF confirmed in recent months.”

Tourgeman also spoke about the company’s Spyder All-in-One (AiO) air-defence system which integrates all critical components such as radar, sensors and missiles onto a single high-mobility 8x8 wheeled vehicle.

“Spyder AiO has the benefit of fast deployment and when you don't have air superiority and you have threats to air defence, the agility that you get from a totally independent mobile air defence is huge,” Tourgeman said.

“We have developed it, but because of budget constraints, the Israel Defence Force (IDF) has not yet bought it. However, since this war has started, the IDF have evaluated the system as a potential enrichment for the air defence [capability] that it has.”

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