By
Arie Egozi on March 12, 2021 at 8:31 AM
THEL – the Tactical High-Energy Laser – was the last big US-Israel laser project, cancelled in 2005.
TEL AVIV: The Israeli Defense Ministry is seeking US funding and expertise for its air and missile defense lasers, especially in the generation of electrical power. Israel’s current prototypes have achieved an output beam of “almost” 100 kilowatts, but the US is already exploring 300-kW weapons capable of killing cruise missiles.
Tel Aviv soured on missile defense lasers after the US-Israeli Nautilus project, also known as the Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL), a bulky weapon which was cancelled in 2005 after a decade in development. But THEL – like its contemporary, the US Airborne Laser – was what’s called a chemical laser, needing large tanks of toxic chemicals to generate power. Modern lasers rely on electrical generators, making them much less hazardous.
11 March 2021 (Last Updated March 11th, 2021 12:44)
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D) of Israel s Ministry of Defense (MoD) have established a technology centre.
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Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D) of Israel’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) have established a technology centre.
The technology centre is focused on developing navigation technologies that can function in global positioning system (GPS)-denied environments.
Located in Israel, the new centre will be engaged in the production of navigation systems for the future battlefield.
UMOS DDR&D chief brigade general Yaniv Rotem said: “The extensive know-how and experience accumulated at DDR&D and TAMAM, our partners, allowed us to challenge ourselves with this new endeavour and accomplish something impressive.
Israel signs deal to sell protection system to Germany
Leopard 2/A4 battle tanks are seen during a handover ceremony of tanks at the army base of Tata, Hungary, on 24 July 2020. [ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images] February 24, 2021 at 1:21 pm
Israeli Defence Ministry has signed a deal to sell protection systems to German LEOPARD 2 tanks, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
The deal was signed between the Israeli Defence Ministry and the German Federal Ministry of Defense and outlined the sale of Rafael s TROPHY active protection system to the German military.
Israel s Defence Minister Benny Gantz said: Once again, we see the appreciation that leading security institutions around the world have for Israel s innovation and technology… The TROPHY is first and foremost a life-saving measure. It is the product of Israel s groundbreaking defense industry.
The powerful active protection system has been tested by the U.S. military.
In a major sign that Israeli military technology is making more inroads in Europe, Germany’s Defense Ministry signed an agreement to equip the German military with the Trophy Active Protection System. Made by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Trophy has been protecting Israeli tanks for a decade and is also on the U.S. Abrams tanks since 2019.
Germany is a key supporter of Israel in Europe and Israel recently took delivery of the Sa’ar 6 Corvette warship from a German shipyard. Israel buys its submarines from Germany as well. “Once again, we see the appreciation that leading security institutions around the world have for Israel’s innovation and technology,” said Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz. He praised Trophy as life-saving technology and a groundbreaking system from Israel’s defense industry.