Airborne Directed-Energy and Secure Communication Technologies for Defense Applications
Elbit Systems introduces high-power airborne laser systems and multi-domain communication network platforms for military and unmanned vehicle integration.
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Elbit Systems has introduced its airborne High-Power Laser (HPL) system and the E-LynX UxS communication network, targeting defense, aerospace, and unmanned system applications. These systems provide directed-energy threat neutralization and continuous multi-domain telemetry and payload data transmission. The technologies, alongside electronic warfare and command-and-control systems, are featured at the ILA Berlin 2026 trade show in Berlin, Germany.
High-Power Airborne Directed-Energy Systems
The newly developed High-Power Laser (HPL) systems focus on airborne platforms and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) applications. The technology utilizes directed energy to intercept and neutralize aerial targets by concentrating thermal energy on specific structural vulnerabilities. Operating on airborne platforms, the system addresses the necessity for rapid target engagement and precision intercept while minimizing collateral effects compared to kinetic effectors. This airborne laser framework functions as a complementary architecture to the ground-based HPL technology currently implemented in the Iron Beam air defense program by the Israel Ministry of Defense.
Multi-Domain Unmanned Systems Communication
To support the integration of manned and unmanned assets, the E-LynX UxS was developed as an extension of the existing Software Defined Radio (SDR) series. The platform establishes a unified communication network designed to maintain persistent, high-bandwidth data transmission. The architecture enables unmanned aerial and ground platforms to transmit telemetry, command-and-control instructions, and high-density payload data, including live video and sensor feeds, across a secure, encrypted network. This addresses operational requirements for resilient connectivity in environments susceptible to electronic interference and signal jamming.
Airborne Electro-Optics and Self-Protection Suites
The technological portfolio includes the Hermes 650 Spark unmanned aerial vehicle and the X-Sight helmet display and tracking system, which projects flight data and situational awareness overlays directly into the pilot's field of view to reduce cognitive load. Additionally, the SPECTRO electro-optic payload family includes the SPECTRO 12, a reduced-weight and compacted-volume variant designed to maintain sensing and targeting capabilities on platforms with strict payload constraints. Defensive and offensive integration encompasses aircraft self-protection suites and the Rampage long-range precision-strike missile for air-launched operations.
Ground-Based Systems and Artillery Integration
For land applications, the hardware encompasses the Iron Fist active protection system for armored vehicles, which utilizes radar and electro-optic sensors to detect and intercept incoming anti-tank munitions, alongside dedicated land-based electronic warfare modules. Artillery operations are supported by the PULS multi-launch rocket system. This system architecture accommodates the deployment of the SkyStriker loitering munition, converting a standard rocket launcher into a platform capable of launching aerial loitering munitions for extended-range target acquisition and strike capabilities. Additional unmanned systems presented include the THOR and MAGNIX multi-rotor platforms, engineered for specific tactical payload deliveries and reconnaissance operations.
Additional Context: Technical Specifications and Competitive Benchmarking
High-Power Laser (HPL) technology in military applications generally operates in the 50-kilowatt to 100-kilowatt class, utilizing solid-state fiber lasers to achieve the energy density required to induce structural failure in drone airframes or detonate incoming munitions mid-flight. In the C-UAS domain, airborne directed-energy systems face parallel development from ground-based and naval architectures such as the Rheinmetall High-Energy Laser (HEL) and the Lockheed Martin HELIOS. Airborne integration requires substantial thermal management and high-capacity electrical power generation from the host aircraft, factors that present distinct engineering challenges compared to ground-based systems. Similarly, the E-LynX UxS Software Defined Radio operates in a highly specified market alongside technologies like the L3Harris Falcon IV and Thales SYNAPS series. The primary benchmarking criteria for these systems include waveform agility, low-latency encryption protocols, and dynamic mobile ad hoc networking (MANET) capabilities designed to sustain bandwidth during active electronic warfare jamming.
Edited by an industrial journalist, Lekshman Ramdas, with AI assistance.
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