UK DragonFire laser weapon fires at aerial target for first time

During a test at the U.K. Ministry of Defence’s Hebrides range, the DragonFire laser directed energy weapon system achieved the first high-power firing of a laser weapon against aerial targets in the U.K. DragonFire’s range is secret, but it is a direct line-of-sight weapon and can engage any visible target.

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Laser directed energy weapons can hit targets at the speed of light, and use an intense beam of light to pass through the target, causing structural failure or more impactful results if aimed at the warhead. Firing it for 10 seconds has a cost equivalent to using a normal heater for just one hour. It therefore has the potential to be a long-term low-cost alternative for certain tasks currently performed by missiles. The cost of operating the laser is typically less than £10 (USD 12.7) per shot and the accuracy required is equivalent to hitting a small coin from a kilometer away.

The DragonFire weapon system is the result of a £100 million joint investment by industry and the UK Ministry of Defense. The DragonFire project is led by the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with its industrial partners MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ.

See also: Rafael and Lockheed Martin partner to offer IRON BEAM laser system in the U.S.

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This milestone demonstrated the ability to engage aerial targets at relevant distances and is an important step in the fielding of this technology. Both the British Army and Royal Navy are considering using this technology as part of their future air defense capabilities.

Following the success of these tests, the UK Ministry of Defense announced its intention to fund a multi-million dollar program to move the technology from the research environment to the battlefield.