The United Kingdom has announced that it has successfully tested its “DragonFire” laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) against aerial targets.
While the exact range remains classified, the Ministry stated that weapon is a “but it is a line-of-sight weapon and can engage with any visible target,” adding that it has the “precision required is equivalent to hitting a £1 coin from a kilometer away.”
“Laser-directed energy weapons can engage targets at the speed of light, and use an intense beam of light to cut through the target, leading to structural failure or more impactful results if the warhead is targeted.”
DragonFire is an advanced military laser, being developed by @dstlmod and ?? industry.
The laser-directed energy weapon engages targets at the speed of light, using an intense beam of energy to cut through objects, leading to structural failure.
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— Ministry of Defence ?? (@DefenceHQ) January 19, 2024
The system is also said to be cheap to operate, only costing £10 per shot, providing a cost effective alternative to traditional missile-based interceptors.
“This type of cutting-edge weaponry has the potential to revolutionize the battle space by reducing the reliance on expensive ammunition, while also lowering the risk of collateral damage,” Defence Secretary Grant Shapp said.
The ability to engage a target at the speed of light is a significant advantage for threat interception. Further development of LDEW technology will prove critical for defense against maneuverable hypersonic weapons, which currently have no effective way to be tracked and intercepted using traditional interception methods while in the atmosphere.