The Royal Navy will have lasers capable of destroying drone and missile threats mounted on its warships in 2027, five years earlier than originally planned, the British Ministry of Defense announced Friday.
The British-built DragonFire laser will be fast-tracked by using a “minimum deployable capability” that puts the weapon in service with final developments added later, officials said.
“In a more dangerous world, our approach to procurement is shifting with it. We need to be more urgent, more critical, and more global,” U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said in a statement. “Our widespread reforms will deliver the latest kit and weaponry for our armed forces and help identify export opportunities that can boost the U.K. economy.”
Laser-directed energy weapons like the DragonFire can engage targets at the speed of light and use an intense beam of light to cut through a target, leading to a structural failure or an explosion if the warhead is targeted.
The Royal Navy is part of a U.S.-led coalition to protect international shipping passing through the Red Sea from attacks launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. British warships have launched Sea Viper missiles — each costing about $1.3 million — to destroy Houthi rockets.
The Royal Navy said a single blast from a DragonFire laser will cost about $12. It has the potential to be a long-term and low-cost alternative to using expensive missiles to knock out cheaply produced but more numerous missiles and drones.
“DragonFire shows the best of the U.K. at the forefront of military technology and we will not delay in getting it in the hands of our military to face down the threats we’re facing,” Mr. Shapps said.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.