In a newly declassified video, the UK's £100 million (US$127 million) DragonFire laser weapon can be seen going through its paces as it blasted test bench and field targets, including drones and mortar rounds.
While DragonFire has been under development since 2017, details about the 50-kW class laser have been kept solidly under the "classified" designation. We do know that it's a solid-state laser consisting of bundles of doped glass fibers with their output turned into a single beam using a British-designed beam-combining system. Mounted on a turret, it also has a secondary laser and an electro-optical camera for target acquisition and beam correction.
The new video, released by Britain's Ministry of Defence (MoD), offers more clues to its design. It shows the target acquisition and designation system in action, the laser being tested against static bench targets, and footage from January's field tests at the British Army's Hebrides Range in Scotland where it tracked and engaged various targets.
A newly declassified video shows the power of our DragonFire #laser in action
— Dstl (@dstlmod) March 11, 2024
This technology is the result of joint working with world-class industry partners
For more on #DragonFire 👉 https://t.co/dXrYitxx6f@Leonardo_UK @QinetiQ @MBDAGroup pic.twitter.com/2CrHODAh7O
The video also had animations showing DragonFire in action aboard a warship where it disabled a boat, blinded a drone and shot down a second drone. In addition, the MoD released an image of a mortar round that was burned through by DragonFire.
Though the testing appears to have been successful, DragonFire will not be deployed with the Royal Navy and the British Army as a standard weapon. Its function is to act as a technology demonstrator that will provide the data for developing a yet to be funded larger-scale second generation weapon system. This will include not only basic technology development, but in finding ways to replace overseas-built components with militarized British versions.
The advantage of a practical laser weapon is not only the ability to strike a target the size of a one-pound coin at a range of a kilometer (0.6 miles), but with a shot that travels at the speed of light. It will also replace defensive missiles that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars with lasers that, not counting hardware, cost about £10 (US$13) per shot with the "ammunition" being unlimited so long as there is a secure power supply.
Source: Ministry of Defence
