Royal Navy to receive DragonFire laser system

A Royal Navy warship shall be outfitted with the UK DragonFire laser weapon system by 2027. 

In accordance with the UK Navy, a burst of the high-intensity beam prices US$12.5 (£10) to function and might goal drones, aircrafts and missiles to assist counter threats, reminiscent of these presently confronted by navies inthe Purple Sea.

DragonFire is being developed as a cooperation between MBDA, Leonardo UK, QinetiQ, and the UK MoD’s Defence, Science and Expertise Laboratory (Dstl), with the following phases together with additional reside firing, manufacturing and putting in the laser.

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As beforehand reported by Shephard, the laser-directed vitality weapon (LDEW) system handed a big milestone in January 2024 by efficiently firing towards aerial targets on the UK MoD’s Hebrides Vary off the northwest coast of Scotland.

The vary of DragonFire has been categorized, however the line-of-sight weapon can interact with any seen goal, and the take a look at firing was a primary for the UK.

In accordance with a BBC report, the UK defence secretary acknowledged that the laser may even have “enormous ramifications” for the warfare in Ukraine.