Rheinmetall said that the two parties are convinced that their complementary skills in the field of laser weapon technology will enable them to successfully develop a military laser weapon system. The two parties set the prerequisites for the development of the first laser weapon, including a commitment to make internal preparations for the development phase of the new platform. Previously, the two companies had cooperated in a demonstration on the German Navy's F124 air defense frigate "Saxony" and conducted more than 100 test firings.

According to Rheinmetall, the demonstrator achieved combat effectiveness in all aspects from "detection and tracking...interaction of sensors, command and weapon engagement systems and effectors; possible rules of engagement" to target engagement. Laser weapons are considered a cost-effective alternative to shooting down cheap drones, such as the DragonFire high-energy laser weapon being developed in the UK, which is said to cost 10 pounds ($13) per shot. Given the incident in the Red Sea last year, where US warships are using expensive shells to shoot down small cruise missiles or drones, this is an obvious application.

While the promise of laser weapons is clear, their development phase is typically long, primarily due to design challenges with beam stability and power sustainability, both of which are critical to locking onto and destroying targets. There’s a reason why there’s an old joke in the defense community that “lasers are the weapons of the future and always will be.” Rear Admiral Fred Pyle is the director of the Surface Warfare Directorate (N96), which oversees the department’s laser technology weapons work. He has previously criticized the “tendency to over-promise and under-deliver.”

In recent months, news of Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip have frequently dominated the headlines of major media outlets around the world. Previously, Israel’s Iron Dome system has received a lot of attention for its high-precision interception performance. On this basis, there is now a growing belief that lasers are becoming a real practical tool, especially in missile defense. For example, Israel’s Rafael is the manufacturer of the 100-kilowatt Iron Beam ground-based laser air defense system.

The company told the media in March that the new system is expected to be operational by the end of 2025. According to Rafael's official website, IRON BEAM is a 100-kilowatt high-energy laser weapon system that is expected to be the first of its kind to be put into service. It can quickly and effectively strike and eliminate various threats within a range of hundreds to thousands of meters. IRON BEAM engages at the speed of light, has unlimited magazines, has almost zero cost per interception, and causes minimal collateral damage.

Spade will strengthen Israel's existing multi-layered air defense system. In recent months, Israel has had to deal with more threats on more fronts than in previous wars. The company is addressing immediate improvements, integrations, fixes for problems and technical issues, and applying improvements immediately based on the suggestions of warfighters, which is amazing on all fronts.