The
newest laser weapons will revolutionise British naval ships in a few years.
This means taking down a missile or a drone will become relatively cheap.
This technology, called Dragonfire,
was conceived more than three years ago and was developed by MBDA, Leonardo UK,
and QinetiQ.
The
Defense Ministry of Britain said these lasers will be fitted on warships from
2027, five years earlier than expected, under laws and reforms to ramp up new
technology usage.With sheer accuracy,
these lasers can fire at an air target for 10 pounds per shot, like striking a
pound coin from a km away. They use a light beam to cut through a target
and are low-cost, effective weapons for taking down cheap drones.
Defence
Secretary Grant Shapps said, “DragonFire
shows the best of the UK at the forefront of military technology, and we will
not delay getting it in the hands of our military to face the threats we’re
facing.”.
These
lasers use directed energy to shoot air targets, revolutionising air defence by
eliminating the need for millions of dollars worth of missile interceptors. Militaries
worldwide have experimented with this technology and concluded that ship-borne
deployment is easy since ships can carry bulky equipment.
Defense
Secretary Grant Shapps said that the DragonFire weapon will be fitted on Royal
Navy Vessels in 2027, and the venture
will require a £100 million joint investment by the sector and the U.K.
Ministry of Defence.