UK increases funding for laser weapons

The UK government will allocate £1 billion for the development of laser weapons.

In total, the government has allocated more than £4 billion pounds to develop various autonomous systems to shape the future of the British army and increase export potential.

First and foremost, funding will be allocated for the development of the DragonFire laser.

“DragonFire is set to become the first powerful laser system to enter service in European countries,” the statement reads.

Directed energy weapons, such as lasers, use energy emitted at the speed of light.

Such weapons can be cheaper than an anti-aircraft missile and have virtually unlimited firepower.

However, they typically have a shorter range than conventional weapons. In addition, weather conditions such as fog and storms can decrease the efficiency of certain directed energy weapons.

The DragonFire laser system is designed to protect surface ships and ground forces from missiles or artillery munitions that must be shot down in the air before they reach their target.

Thus, the laser should provide close-range missile defense and destroy, among other things, drones.

The laser power exceeds 50 kW. During tests in January 2024, the system successfully destroyed air targets. DragonFire is capable of hitting an object the size of a 1-pound coin at a distance of 1 km and destroying drones at a distance of up to 5 km.

The cost of a single shot from the laser system is less than £10 pounds, making it a much cheaper alternative to fighting drones and small speedboats compared to missile weapons. In addition, the system does not require physical ammunition and has a virtually unlimited reloading life.

Initially, it was planned to install DragonFire on only one ship by 2027, but after an increase in funding, the number of platforms was expanded to four.