New Israeli Defense Tech: An Airborne Laser for Taking Down Drones From Helicopters

Elbit Systems presented, for the first time, an airborne laser cannon mounted on helicopters at the Eurosatory 2026 arms exhibition in France. According to a report today (Thursday) on 12N, this is a detachable laser pod intended in the future to enable combat helicopters to intercept aerial targets. The system is currently in development as part of a joint investment by Israel’s Defense Ministry and Elbit.

The breakthrough achieved in developing the new system is based on combining many laser fibers into a single powerful beam and on miniaturizing the system so that it can be installed on helicopters and fighter jets. At the exhibition in Paris, Elbit presented a scaled-down model of the “pod,” the detachable container that houses the laser system, guidance, cooling, and batteries. At its end is the laser-aiming head, which directs the beam precisely using mirrors.

Oded Ben David, vice president of technologies at Elop in Elbit Systems’ Intelligence and EW division, explained that the current maturity of laser weapons has become possible thanks to a major leap in fiber-laser technology. “The technology that has developed around the world is Optical Fiber Laser technology. Instead of one large laser, the system is built from a large number of laser units connected together into one powerful beam.”

According to him, the main advantage of the airborne laser is that it operates above most of the air layers that interfere with the laser beam. At Elbit, helicopters are seen as a promising platform for intercepting drones and other aerial threats using laser weapons. The main threat being discussed in the defense industries is the world of UAVs, drones, and cruise missiles.