South Korea Will Begin Production of Anti-Drone Laser Weapon

On July 11th, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (SKDAPA) announced that production of the Laser Anti-Aircraft Weapon (Block-I) (LAAW Block-I) will begin this year. The SKDAPA and Hanwha Aerospace signed the contract on June 25th to begin mass production of the laser system. The companies held a kick-off meeting on July 11th at Hanwha's Daejeon campus. The project's administrator, Seok Jong-geon, said that the LAAW Block-I is the first project developed as part of the Korean Star Wars project..Laser Anti-Aircraft Weapon (Block-I).The SKDAPA described the LAAW Block-I as a "new type of future weapon system that neutralizes targets by directly irradiating them with a light source laser generated from optical fibers." The system is capable of conducting precise strikes against multicopters, quadcopters, and small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) at close range. The laser is "invisible and silent," requires no ammunition, uses only electricity, and costs about $1.45 USD (2,000 Won) per shot. The agency says the LAAW Block-I "can play a game-changing role in the future battlefield, as it can respond to aircraft and ballistic missiles by improving its power in the future.".The agency began the LAAW Block-I program in August 2019, and the Korea Advanced Institute of Defense Science and Technology (KAIDST) developed the system with a budget of $63.3 million USD (87.1 Won billion). Hanwha also participated in the development program as "a prototype company." The system's development proceeded through public-private-military collaboration. The agencies involved determined the system was suitable for combat in April 2023 because of "its outstanding performance," including a 100 percent success in shooting down drones in live-fire tests. The system will be delivered to the South Korea military and "put into full-scale operation by the end of this year.".The statement said that South Korea became "the first country in the world to deploy and operate laser weapons in the military for the first time in addition to overseas technology development." The system will improve the South Korean military's "ability to respond to North Korea's drone provocations, which will be further strengthened." SKDAPA will also apply an "evolutionary development strategy" to create a Laser Anti-Aircraft Weapon (Block-II) (LAAW Block-II) with higher power and range than the Block-I version. The laser systems are part of SKDAPA's "core technology project," which will enhance its laser generator's power by several hundred kilowatts..SKDAPA Spokesperson Jo Yong-jin gave a briefing that provided additional details about LAAW Block-I. Jo said that the LAAW Block-I's laser beam can fire for between 10 and 20 seconds, which raises the target's temperature to over 1292 F (700 C). The system can also disable the drone's internal components, such as its battery and engine. Jo also emphasized the LAAW Block-I's "extremely cheap" cost per fire compared to other guided weapons. However, Jo did not provide further details about the system's capabilities because of operational security..Laser System Shows South Korea Concern Over North Korean Drones and Industrial Capabilities.The development of the LAAW Block-I illustrates how South Korea views the threat posed by North Korean UAVs that cross the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). However, the LAAW Block-I also shows how South Korea is capable of adapting to new threats and developing advanced weapons. While SKDAPA began development of the LAAW Block-I in 2019, South Korea accelerated its development in response to North Korea sending five small UAVs across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in 2022. The intrusion also showed South Korea that airports and other critical infrastructure are vulnerable to small drones, including those capable of deploying grenades and explosives. The LAAW Block-I was specifically developed to counter the threat posed by North Korean drones. The system would also be used to destroy other slow-moving targets, such as balloons that North Korea sends into South Korea. The South Korean military, however, would only destroy the balloons if they were entering sensitive areas such as airports..The LAAW Block-I shows how South Korea's defense industry has the necessary knowledge and manufacturing capabilities to rapidly develop advanced laser weapons like the LAAW. South Korea observed the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and Israel's Iron Beam laser air defense system reportedly intercepted a rocket over southern Israel. The Iron Beam system's reported interception validated South Korea's efforts to develop the LAAW because it proved that lasers could intercept the rockets. However, South Korea is planning to further develop the LAAW as part of its Star Wars project to have the capability to destroy missiles, rockets, and aircraft. Specifically, the agencies involved in Block-II and Block-III's development will focus on increasing the power generator's capability to produce more kilowatts. The South Korean military would integrate the laser systems in a similar way to Israel's plans, with the system complementing existing air defense systems to extend the time between reloading the launchers. However, South Korea would face limitations, such as the immense amount of power needed to operate the systems and adverse weather conditions that would limit their effectiveness.