Israel’s high-powered laser interception system, dubbed “Iron Beam,” has been declared operational after completing development and final tests, and is set to be delivered to the military by the end of the year, the Defense Ministry and manufacturer Rafael said on Wednesday.

Axar.az informs the Iron Beam has been in development for over a decade; it was first unveiled in 2014. During the current war, a lower-powered version of the system was used by the Israel Defense Forces to shoot down Hezbollah drones launched from Lebanon.

The ministry said its Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D), the Israeli Air Force, and the Rafael defense firm “successfully completed an advanced series of operational tests, which lasted several weeks, to demonstrate the capabilities of the high-power laser system.”

It said the test involved the interception of rockets, mortars, and drones by the Iron Beam.

“The series of tests, conducted at a testing ground in southern Israel, concludes the development process and constitutes the final stage before delivering the system for operational use in the IDF,” the ministry said.