British Army personnel yesterday test-fired for the first time a laser beam capable of destroying targets with ‘pinpoint accuracy’ – for less than the price of a cup of tea.
Troops carried out the test of Raytheon’s anti-drone laser weapon from a military vehicle in the latest sign that drone warfare is a growing priority for Western armed forces.
The high-energy laser, which is designed to wipe out aerial drones, was fired aboard a British Army Wolfhound armoured vehicle in the Porton Down defence campus in Wiltshire.
It comes after scientists have been experimenting with lasers as a cheap alternative to traditional defence systems.
The 15-kilowatt laser wiped out targets more than 1km away during the tests. Each shot uses up just 10p worth of energy – or cheaper than making a cup of tea.
The high-energy laser, which is designed to wipe out aerial drones, was fired aboard a British Army Wolfhound armoured vehicle in the Porton Down defence campus (pictured)
The ground-breaking test saw the laser weapon neutralise targets at distances in excess of 1km
Mortar casing showing damage done by ‘DragonFire’ a British military laser weapon system
Military experts say the laser would be a far more affordable way of engaging in war than using missiles and bullets.
It is also a timely development against the backdrop of Ukrainian troops on the front line have been running short of ammunition to fight the Russian invaders.
Details about the laser trial emerged at the same time as Defence Secretary John Healey announced a £6.5bn partnership to buy a range of new, increasingly sophisticated missiles over the next decade from the British-French defence company MBDA.
The deal with MBDA, which manufactures the Storm Shadow missile used by Ukraine, will deliver complex weapons faster and at lower cost, the government said in a statement on Monday.
Healey, speaking at a major airshow in Farnborough, told of the importance of taking politics out of national security.
Government officials said the technology would help prepare the UK’s armed forces for the future
‘Where there is important work begun under the previous government, we will take it forward,’ he said.
‘That is why we are renewing important partnerships with industry and continuing to push technological boundaries. This will drive prosperity and create skilled jobs across the country.’
It comes just a week after prime minister Keir Starmer rebuffed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s request last week to fire Storm Shadow missiles deeper into Russian territory.
Mr Zelensky had urged the Prime Minister to ‘show your leadership’ by removing limits on how the long-range missiles, gifted by the UK, can be used when he addressed the Cabinet on Friday.
