Rafael Unveils L-SPIKE 4X and Showcases Iron Beam Laser Defense at AUSA 2025

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., together with its U.S. subsidiary Rafael USA Inc., presented two of its latest systems — the L-SPIKE 4X and the Iron Beam laser air defence system — at the 2025 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C.

The company said the event marked the first public unveiling of the L-SPIKE 4X Launched Effect, a member of the SPIKE missile family, and the U.S. debut of the Iron Beam high-energy laser system. Both systems are part of Rafael’s portfolio of precision strike and air defence technologies.

According to Rafael, the Iron Beam has completed its full-scale development and is scheduled for delivery to the Israel Defense Forces. The system was developed in cooperation with the Israeli Ministry of Defense and is designed to intercept short-range aerial threats such as rockets, mortars, and unmanned aerial vehicles using a high-energy laser.

The Iron Beam employs a directed-energy approach to counter airborne targets and is part of Israel’s multi-layered air defence architecture, which also includes the Iron Dome and David’s Sling systems. Rafael said Iron Beam provides an additional defensive layer that complements these kinetic interceptors, creating a continuous, tiered defence against a range of aerial threats.

The company’s air defence display at AUSA also featured the Tamir interceptor used in the Iron Dome system and the Stunner interceptor from David’s Sling. Together with Iron Beam, these systems form a multi-layered defence concept intended to provide coverage across short-, medium-, and long-range threat categories.

Also making its public debut at AUSA was the L-SPIKE 4X, a new system in Rafael’s SPIKE family designed as a Launched Effect platform. Rafael said the L-SPIKE 4X is intended to provide precision-strike capabilities with extended endurance, multi-mode guidance, and autonomous target acquisition.

The company described the L-SPIKE 4X as a system that can deliver precision firepower and support tactical units in contested environments. According to Rafael’s technical documentation, the system’s design enables integration on a range of air and land platforms, providing operators with flexibility in deployment.

Rafael’s exhibit at AUSA 2025 also included its Force Protection, Precision Strike, and Advanced Electro-Optics portfolios, which the company said demonstrate its approach to integrating multiple systems for modern, multi-domain operations.

The AUSA Annual Meeting, held from October 13–15 in Washington, D.C., is one of the largest defense industry events in the United States, where global defense companies present technologies relevant to the U.S. Army and allied armed forces.