Israeli commercial planes will be fitted with military lasers in a high-tech bid to combat attempted terrorist attacks.

Israel’s Ministry of Defence approved the use of SkyShield, a defence system, for commercial purposes on Wednesday.

The technology, developed by military defence contractor Elbit Systems, is programmed to detect and automatically fire a laser at oncoming missiles. The counter-attack destroys the missile’s navigation system, causing it to turn away from the target.

Israel’s flagship airline El Al, known for its high-security policy, is said to be installing SkyShield on its commercial jets, at a reported $1 million per plane.