Hits a coin a kilometer: what kind of laser weapon does Britain have and will it be in Ukraine?

In January 2024, the DragonFire laser weapon was tested for the first time in the UK, capable of accurately hitting an object the size of a coin at a distance of a kilometer. The tests demonstrated the high-precision action of the laser in real-world conditions. Interestingly, the price of one shot is less than 10 pounds, which is much cheaper than traditional weapons.

In April, the then British Defense Minister Grant Shapps said that the kingdom was considering the possibility of transferring a prototype of the DragonFire laser weapon to Ukraine. Technological weapons could become an important tool for protecting Ukraine from air threats, such as drones and missiles. Interestingly, the presence of its own laser weapon, which can hit aircraft at a distance of 2 kilometers, was confirmed in December by the Unmanned Systems Forces.

The British Ministry of Defense reported in December on the successful testing of a new laser weapon capable of destroying drones. Testing, which took place at a testing site in Wales, showed the effectiveness of the laser in neutralizing drones using high-precision energy pulses. 24 Channel tells in detail about the revolutionary weapon.

What was tested in December in Wales

In December, the British Ministry of Defense announced the first use of a high-energy laser weapon on armored vehicles – resulting in the destruction of drones. The successful trials took place at Radnor Range in central Wales, where soldiers from 16th Royal Artillery destroyed airborne targets using a system integrated into a Wolfhound armored vehicle.

The system works by directing an intense beam of infrared light at a target using sensors and tracking systems that provide real-time accuracy. Unlike traditional ammunition, laser weapons have a virtually unlimited “bullet reserve”, making them a cost-effective alternative.

Maria Eagle, the UK's defence procurement minister, called the test a significant step forward in the development of defence capabilities:

This groundbreaking technology demonstrates the UK's commitment to remaining at the forefront of military innovation and confirms our country's engineering excellence.

Meanwhile, Warrant Officer Matthew Anderson, the test leader, noted that every attempt ended in the successful destruction of the drone:

We tested a variety of distances, speeds and altitudes. This is certainly technology that could become part of the battlefield arsenal.

The development of the laser was made possible by the UK's collaboration with the Pentagon's Defence Equipment and Support Division, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl or Team Hersa) and an industrial consortium led by Raytheon UK. Fraser Nash, NP Aerospace, LumOptica, Blighter Surveillance Systems and Cambridge Pixel also participated in the project. The total development budget was £16.8 million.

 

The aim of the programme is to demonstrate the capabilities and test and improve the use of directed energy weapons in combat conditions. The resulting data will help the UK “remain at the forefront of military innovation and develop solutions to enhance its defence capabilities”.

The world has changed and the increasing use of drones in the combat zone requires cost-effective solutions. These trials have shown that we are moving in the right direction,
– said DE&S's directed energy weapons programme manager, Stephen Waller.

What preceded the destruction of drones with a laser

In early 2024, the DragonFire laser weapon, which can accurately hit an object the size of a coin from a kilometer away, was tested at a test site in the Hebrides Islands in Scotland. Then the DragonFire laser weapon system first fired a high-power shot at air targets.

The range of this weapon remains classified, but it is known that DragonFire works on the principle of direct visibility and can hit any visible target.

Among the main achievements of the tests are the following:

• the first high-power laser attack on air targets took place;
• high accuracy of destruction and low long-term costs were noted;
• Britain emphasizes effective cooperation with partners in the development of this weapons.

 

Interesting! DragonFire technology allows you to direct a high-power laser over long distances with an accuracy equal to hitting a £1 coin from a kilometer away.

This weapon is capable of hitting targets at the speed of light, cutting through their structure with an intense beam that can cause destruction or detonation of the warhead.

Launching a laser for 10 seconds costs the same as running a conventional heater for an hour. Therefore, DragonFire could become a cost-effective alternative to the tasks currently performed by missiles. The cost of one shot is less than £10.

This advanced weapon has the potential to revolutionise warfare by reducing reliance on expensive munitions and minimising the risk of collateral damage. Investment in technology like DragonFire provides a battlefield advantage and keeps our country safe,
– said former UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.

DragonFire is the result of a £100 million joint investment by the Ministry of Defence and industry partners. Since the conclusion of the contract in 2017 for 30 million pounds, the system has shown a significant increase in the effectiveness of laser weapons, the British Ministry of Defense claims.

How laser weapons are planned to be used

The DragonFire laser weapon, capable of shooting down enemy drones and missiles, could appear on warships of the Royal Navy of Great Britain by 2027.

The Ministry of Defense is also considering the possibility of its use in Ukraine earlier, taking into account the threats facing the country, the British publication The Telegraph reported in April. Since then, the deliveries have not been officially reported, the last “secret” transfer from the kingdom to Ukraine – these are Storm Shadow missiles, most of which Britain handed over in late autumn. Bloomberg.

wrote about it

Does Ukraine have laser weapons

Ukraine already has laser weapons, confirmed the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi. This is the “Trident” that can shoot down planes.

“We can state that today Ukraine is, if I'm not mistaken, the fifth country that can say that it has a laser. Today, we can already shoot down planes with this laser at an altitude of more than 2 kilometers,” – said Sukharevskyi at the conference “European Defense Industry: Prospects for Cooperation with the Ukrainian Defense Industry”, organized by the analytical center We Build Ukraine.

According to the commander of the SBS of the Armed Forces of the Ukrainian SSR, the Forces are now on the path to scaling and strengthening the laser. The characteristics announced by Sukharevskyi indicate a laser power of 50 kW, which is comparable to the American AN/SEQ-3 (LaWS) and the British DragonFire.

Previously, former Defense Minister Grant Shepps stated during a visit to the DragonFire laboratory that the technology could have “huge consequences.” According to him, delays in the implementation of such systems are a serious loss for the defense budget.

We aim to reduce the typical weapons development process, which takes up to 10 years, to a much shorter time frame, in order to deploy this system more quickly on ships or in land operations, – said Shepps.

British media also reported that the possibility of sending DragonFire to Ukraine for testing in real combat conditions is being considered, even if the system is not yet fully completed.

DragonFire uses 37 channels of laser, which are combined through mirrors, creating a powerful beam with high precision. The system operates at the speed of light, its radiation is invisible and silent. The laser is capable of turning metal into plasma at 3000°C in seconds, allowing it to cut through drone and weapon hulls.

Tests have shown that DragonFire can even hit faster targets, such as ballistic missiles, not just slow drones.

Are laser weapons a panacea for threats

The world's leading defense companies, including the American RTX, the European MBDA and the British QinetiQ, have recently stepped up the development of high-power laser weapons. This was a response to the use of cheap drones on the battlefield, writes FT. In particular, the fighting in Ukraine has shown that relatively cheap drones have to be shot down with more expensive anti-aircraft missiles.

How the American AN/SEQ-3 combat laser (LaWS) works: watch the video

In 2024, warships of the United Kingdom and the United States were also forced to use expensive missiles to destroy drones, launched by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

Innovative lasers that can shoot down UAVs, cut through metal, and disable electronics have become a reality thanks to breakthroughs in computing and optical technologies. Previously, the phrase “laser weapons” was associated more with science fiction than with real weapons.

It is difficult to economically justify using a million-dollar missile to destroy a $100 or $1,000 drone. Given the increasing number of drones used daily in the war in Ukraine, this asymmetry is only increasing, creating additional pressure on defense budgets.

Despite the prospects, laser weapons have a number of limitations. It depends on weather conditions, line of sight, and a stable platform with a powerful power source. For example, smoke or atmospheric pollution can significantly reduce the effectiveness of the laser. In addition, although the cost of a shot is low, the costs of development and production remain significant.

So, given these limitations, laser weapons cannot yet be considered a panacea against air threats. Rather, it is an effective and economical way to neutralize certain types of targets, which allows you to save more expensive systems for more priority tasks. For example, to shoot down intercontinental ballistic missiles or medium-range missiles, which the aggressor is already using against Ukraine.