Israel is officially in the next generation of warfare. Yesterday, the first operational laser defense system, the Or Eitan, was delivered to the army and began integration into Israel’s defense array.
To understand why this is so monumental, let’s do some history.
For most of the past century, military technology favored the terrorist. States gained the ability to flatten cities, but they struggled to stop a few extremists with Kalashnikovs and RPGs.
Imagine Al Qaeda attempting a mass shooting in the 19th century. By the time they let off a single badly aimed shot and went to reload their musket, they would already be incapacitated. If they ran into the hills of Afghanistan to hide, their ability to make more black powder, cannonballs, and muskets would be limited.