The world’s first laser-based missile defense system, known as “Iron Beam,” will be delivered to the IDF by the end of 2025, the Israeli Defense Ministry and arms manufacturer Rafael announced on Wednesday.

The ministry, Rafael and the Israeli Air Force completed tests on the Iron Beam system in recent weeks and said it is fully operational and able to intercept rockets, mortars, aircraft and drones.

The system “features an advanced targeting system that enables enhanced operational range, high precision, and superior efficiency while maintaining its unique advantage of rapidly neutralizing threats using laser technology at negligible cost,” the announcement reads. “The Iron Beam system represents a global technological and engineering breakthrough, expected to integrate into Israel’s multi-layered defense array as a complementary capability to the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow air defense systems.”

Earlier prototypes with a shorter range have been used throughout the current war, mostly against drones launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon.

“Now that the Iron Beam’s performance has been proven, we anticipate a significant leap in air defense capabilities through the deployment of these long-range laser weapon systems,” the statement reads.

The Iron Beam will not replace existing missile defense systems, but it will cost significantly less to use lasers to shoot down projectiles than to produce interceptors for the Iron Dome and other systems. In the 12-day war against Iran alone, Israel and the U.S. reportedly spent a combined $1.5  billion on interceptor launches.

In addition, Israel can run out of interceptors, but the Iron Beam can work as long as it has a power source.

Rafael’s CEO and president, Yoav Tourgeman, said that Iron Beam “will fundamentally change the defense equation by enabling precise, rapid and cost-effective interception unmatched by any existing system.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that “this is not only a moment of national pride, but a historic milestone for our defense envelope: rapid, precise interception at marginal cost that joins our existing defense systems and changes the threat equation.” 

The Defense Ministry renamed the system in Hebrew from “Magen Or” — light shield — to “Or Eitan,” meaning “strong light” or “Eitan’s light,” in honor of IDF Cpt. Eitan Oster, 22, who was killed in Lebanon and whose father was among the developers of the Iron Beam project.