The UK has fast-tracked deployment of its DragonFire laser weapon for the Royal Navy after trials in Scotland proved its ability to destroy fast-moving aerial threats. The Ministry of Defence confirmed the system shot down drones flying at 650 kmph, nearly twice the speed of a Formula 1 car, during live-fire tests at the Hebrides range.
What Is The DragonFire Laser?
DragonFire is the United Kingdom's next-generation high-energy laser weapon system, designed to shoot down drones, missiles, and other airborne threats using a concentrated beam of light rather than traditional ammunition.
It is being developed by MBDA UK, Leonardo, QinetiQ, and the UK Ministry of Defence as part of a major directed-energy weapons programme.
A video from the test shows a laser-turret system tracking an incoming drone, then firing a concentrated beam of light upward. Moments later, the target begins to smoke, fall rapidly, and crash. This is one of the most advanced demonstrations of laser lethality by any European armed force.
The Defence Ministry has now signed a 316 million pound (about Rs 3,730 crore) contract with MBDA UK to integrate DragonFire onto Royal Navy vessels beginning in 2027, five years earlier than previously scheduled. Officials say the Type 45 destroyer will receive the first operational installation, ahead of the Type 26 frigates that are still under construction, as per reports. It costs $13 (Rs 1,164) per shot.
How DragonFire Works
DragonFire is a turret-mounted system designed to rotate and lock onto incoming threats across a wide field of view. The weapon currently delivers 50 kW of power, though the Defence Ministry has suggested future scalability.
Its capability comes from Coherent Beam Combining (CBC), which joins several low-power laser beams into one powerful, precisely aligned beam. This helps the system stay stable and accurate over long distances. According to the Ministry of Defence, it can destroy drones at almost 5 km.
For the UK, DragonFire is a major step. Officials call it the first high-powered laser of its kind to enter service in a European country and say it is among NATO's most advanced energy-weapon projects.
Officials say the system offers “greater accuracy while reducing the reliance on high-cost ammunition.” The Defence Ministry also said the laser “can engage targets at the speed of light” and uses “an intense beam of light to cut through the target,” causing immediate damage if it hits drones or warheads.
Directed-Energy Weapons
Laser-based weapons have been discussed for decades, but they were slow to adopt because they're expensive, need a lot of power, and are technically challenging. Now, rising drone and missile threats, including attacks in the Red Sea, have pushed countries to speed up work on this technology.
Nations like Germany, China, Israel, Ukraine, and Russia have already tested or deployed laser defences. The US is investing heavily, too, though it hasn't added them widely to its fleet yet.
