The British Army has used laser weapons for the first time on the Wolfhound combat vehicle.

The UK Ministry of Defense stated that engineers successfully launched a powerful laser weapon from a combat vehicle.

The test, conducted at the Dstl test site in Porton Down, demonstrated Raytheon’s laser weapons’ ability to neutralize targets at a distance of more than 1 km.

The laser system was created as a cheap and effective means to strengthen air defense.

The high-energy laser weapon mounted on the Wolfhound armored vehicle represents a significant step forward in the Land Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) program.

This lightweight and portable system is the first laser weapon to be integrated into a ground vehicle in the UK.

The innovative demonstrator allows the Ministry of Defense and the British Army to evaluate the effectiveness of LDEW systems against modern threats.

The next phase of trials will include tests with the military later this year to assess the system’s capabilities and benefits in real-world conditions.

The system operates with a command and control system and can be integrated with radar and surveillance systems.

“We look forward to the British Army experimenting with the weapon over the coming months and proving that this technology is ready for combat,” Raytheon representatives said.

In general, the program involves the following companies: Raytheon UK, Fraser Nash, NP Aerospace, LumOptica, Blighter Surveillance Systems and Cambridge Pixel.

In April 2024, it became known that the UK plans to transfer the first samples of the DragonFire laser air defense system to Ukraine.