Nano-drones and DragonFire lasers: New tech blazes a trail for UK's modernising military
With the ability to shoot down a £1 coin from 1km away, the DragonFire laser could become a major force in defending against missile and drone attacks, after the UK Ministry of Defence announced a £5 billion ($6.75 billion) investment in an array of new systems.
Britain has drawn heavily on the lessons of the Ukraine conflict in its Strategic Defence Review, launched on Monday. The revolution in warfare is producing much more automation, essentially letting robots do the heavy lifting in warfare.
Sources have disclosed to The National how the British have developed secret weapons, from nano drones and microwave weapons to autonomous submarines, that are all likely to have operated in Ukraine's defence.
Breathing DragonFire
The DragonFire system will receive nearly £1 billion in funding to install the laser-directed energy weapons on a Type-45 destroyer by 2027 as the UK seeks to become 'the leading edge of innovation'.
Modern missile interceptors can cost more than $1 million per weapon, but the DragonFire will just be £10 a shot – while being invisible and silent.
Trials have demonstrated that the laser's beams can within five seconds destroy drones or make mortar bombs explode mid-flight.
The lasers travel at the speed of light and destroy incoming threats by turning metal surfaces into 3,000°C plasma at a range understood to be beyond 2km.
The system, which has been in development for nearly a decade, could become powerful enough to intercept ballistic missiles. The army will also receive a lorry-mounted DragonFire before the end of the decade with prototypes sent to Ukraine earlier to test their effectiveness.
While the DragonFire uses up to 100 kilowatts in energy, US warships are looking at a 300-kilowatt system that could be capable of taking down cruise missiles and aircraft, and will come into service in a decade.
Lessons from Ukraine
The extraordinary developments made by both Ukraine and Russia in drone warfare have changed the nature of warfare.
Military tacticians will be studying closely the massed drone assault authorised by Kyiv in which 41 Russian military aircraft were destroyed, causing $7 billion in damage, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
In Sunday's raid, lorries filled with suicide drones were driven into Russia, one as far away as Siberia, then parked before their roofs were remotely opened and the aircraft flew to military bases, slipping past Russia's air defences.
Nanos, lasers and swarms
A range of highly advanced weapon systems, many of them undergoing trials in Ukraine, will be developed at pace with £4 billion in funding, mostly at what will be called the UK Drone Centre.
This, the Strategic Defence Review said, will apply battlefield lessons from Ukraine where drones now kill more people than traditional artillery.
It is understood that the British army is developing personal laser weapons to take down small drones but is struggling to 'operationalise' them due to the huge amounts of power required.
The Banshee Jet 80 kamikaze drone is likely to be upgraded, with a number of models already used in Ukraine, the defence source disclosed. The Banshee can carry a 7kg warhead an estimated 200km using its twin jet engines to travel at 720km/h.
Microwave weapons are being developed against drones and have been deployed to Ukraine for testing.
Swarm technology is also advancing, with the Magni X system of six aircraft that can operate autonomously to defeat Russian anti-drone systems. They are thought to be capable of carrying a 2kg payload to use against individuals or vehicles.
Nano technology will be carefully studied, building on the success of the finger-sized 18g Black Hornet drones. These can carry three cameras and fly for about 25 minutes, sneaking into buildings or military camps.
Scientists will use AI and autonomy to develop battlefield transport, getting ammunition and rations to the front line in driverless vehicles.
Another system in advanced development is a quadcopter that can lift wounded soldiers out of combat zones. It is also likely to be in use in Ukraine.
Sea and air
According to the Strategic Defence Review, Britain and its allies will have to compete harder for control of the air, 'fighting in a way not seen for over 30 years', due to advances by adversaries.
The RAF is developing the Tempest sixth-generation Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) as its future fighter.
It is understood that 216 Squadron is undertaking discrete trials for a system called CCA (collaborative combat aircraft), otherwise known as the 'loyal wingman', in which the mother aircraft operates smaller drone fighters.
While the Strategic Defence Review stated that 12 new attack submarines will be built, the development of autonomous boats is already well under way. The Neptune automated submarine is able to carry out covert close reconnaissance and is likely to have been used in the Black Sea to target Russian warships.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arabian Business
an hour ago
- Arabian Business
Putin agrees US, EU could offer NATO-style security guarantees to Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin has for the first time accepted the prospect of the United States and European allies extending NATO-style security guarantees to Ukraine, according to a senior US official, marking what Washington described as a potential breakthrough in efforts to end the three-and-a-half-year war. US special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that the concession was reached during talks between Putin and US President Donald Trump at a summit held at a military base in Alaska on Friday. 'We were able to win the following concession: that the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO,' Witkoff told CNN's State of the Union. He called the shift 'game-changing', noting it was the first time Moscow had accepted such a framework. Article 5, the cornerstone of NATO's collective defence pact, treats an attack on one alliance member as an attack on all. Possible workaround to NATO membership The proposal, if formalised, would create an alternative to Ukraine's long-sought membership in NATO – a red line for Moscow. Putin has consistently opposed Kyiv's entry into the alliance, while Ukraine has insisted its security can only be guaranteed through binding defence commitments from the West. Witkoff offered no details on how the US and European Union might implement the arrangement. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also attended the Alaska summit, said discussions in the coming days would focus on the mechanics of the guarantees. 'How that's constructed, what we call it, how it's built, what guarantees are built into it that are enforceable, that's what we'll be talking about over the next few days with our partners,' Rubio told NBC's Meet the Press. Rubio described the shift as a 'huge concession' but cautioned that Ukraine was not represented in Alaska, meaning no binding decisions were taken. 'There's not going to be a truce unless Ukraine is in the room,' he said. Mixed signals from Trump Trump, who has positioned himself as a dealmaker on Ukraine since returning to the White House, welcomed the progress. 'BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!' he wrote on social media. 'BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!' – President Donald J. Trump — The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 17, 2025 But in later comments he suggested Kyiv should consider concessions. 'President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,' Trump said. He reiterated opposition to Ukraine joining NATO and repeated past criticisms of former President Barack Obama's handling of Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Reactions in Europe and Kyiv In Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed what she described as Washington's willingness to contribute to 'Article 5-like security guarantees' for Ukraine. Standing alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, she said the EU and a 'coalition of the willing' were prepared to support such an initiative. Zelenskyy expressed guarded optimism. 'It is important that America agrees to work with Europe to provide security guarantees for Ukraine,' he said. 'But there are no details on how it will work, and what America's role will be, Europe's role will be, and what the EU can do.' French President Emmanuel Macron said substance mattered more than labels. He said European leaders would push at Monday's White House meeting for commitments to strengthen Ukraine's military with training and equipment, and to position allied forces as a deterrent away from front lines. 'The substance of the guarantee is what will matter, not whether we call it Article 5 or something else,' Macron said. Russia signals further commitments Witkoff also said Russia had agreed to pass legislation preventing it from violating the sovereignty of European neighbours, another step US officials portrayed as significant, though they provided no details on enforcement. 'The Russians agreed on enshrining legislatively language that would prevent them from – or that they would attest to not attempting to take any more land from Ukraine after a peace deal, where they would attest to not violating any European borders,' Witkoff said on Fox News. Rubio and Witkoff defended Trump's decision not to demand a ceasefire in Alaska, arguing that the broader framework offered a more sustainable path. 'We covered almost all the other issues necessary for a peace deal,' Witkoff said. 'Maybe not enough for a peace deal, but we are on the path for the first time.' Land and territorial disputes Territorial questions remain the largest unresolved issue. Putin has demanded recognition of Russian control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine, according to European officials briefed on the talks. Witkoff said Moscow wanted future negotiations to focus on legal boundaries rather than battlefield front lines. Zelenskyy has ruled out ceding the Donbas region, insisting that talks must be based on current contact lines and constitutional prohibitions against surrendering territory. 'The constitution of Ukraine makes it impossible to give up territory or trade land,' Zelenskyy told reporters in Brussels. 'The contact line is the best line for talking, and the Europeans support this.' Next steps Trump is scheduled to host Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House on Monday, where the proposed security guarantees and territorial disputes are expected to dominate. Rubio struck a cautious note, warning that despite signs of moderation from Moscow, 'we're still a long way off … we're not at the precipice of a peace agreement.'
Khaleej Times
16 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Europeans to quiz Trump on Ukraine security guarantees: Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that European leaders would ask US President Donald Trump how far he would back security guarantees for Ukraine, adding he did not think Russia wanted peace. Macron was speaking from his summer residence after joining a call with other European leaders to coordinate their joint position before several of them join Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky for a meeting with Trump in Washington on Monday. Macron said "our will is to present a united front between Europeans and Ukrainians" and to ask the Americans "to what extent" they are ready to contribute to the security guarantees that would be offered to Ukraine in a peace agreement. On Moscow's position, he said: "There is only one state proposing a peace that would be a capitulation: Russia." And just as there could be no discussion of Ukrainian territory without Ukraine, so there could be "no discussions about the security of Europeans without them", he added. European leaders should attend the next summits on the Ukraine crisis, said Macron.
Khaleej Times
21 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Powerful new AI models knock the wind out of European adopter stocks
A rout in shares of European companies embracing artificial intelligence deepened last week, as powerful new AI models raise questions about whether sectors from software to data analytics could find themselves overtaken by the technology. European software stocks, including Germany's SAP and France's Dassault Systemes, tumbled on Tuesday as worries that AI will disrupt the software sector spread through the market. That followed a downgrade to U.S. rival Adobe on Monday by broker Melius Research. Since mid-July, shares in markets and data group LSEG , UK software firm Sage, and French IT consulting group Capgemini have dropped 14.4%, 10.8% and 12.3% respectively. Such companies - dubbed AI adopters by analysts - are investing heavily in the technology to beef up their products and services. Amid a dearth of European AI companies and suppliers, their shares had benefitted as investors in the region sought a way to tap the AI boom powering U.S. markets. But the release of ever more powerful AI tools appears to have prompted a rethink among some market players. Last week, OpenAI launched its GPT-5 model, the latest iteration of the AI technology that has helped transform global business and culture since ChatGPT arrived in late 2022. Kunal Kothari, a fund manager at Aviva Investors, also pointed to the July 15 release of Anthropic's Claude for Financial Services. "The app that came out has now challenged an investment case around London Stock Exchange (LSEG), around the provision of financial data," he said. "We're at the stage now with every iteration of GPT or Claude that comes out ... it's multiples more capable than the previous generation. The market's thinking: 'oh, wait, that challenges this business model'." The drop in European adopter stocks contrasts with broader market gains. Since mid-July, London's FTSE 100 is up 2.5% and Europe's STOXX 600 up 0.6%, while U.S. indexes have scaled record highs, largely powered by tech stocks. Exacerbating matters is the fact that many European adopter stocks trade on high multiples, making them vulnerable to any potential negative news, according to Bernie Ahkong, Chief Investment Officer at hedge fund UBS O'Connor. The STOXX 600 trades at an average price-to-earnings multiple of 17 times, while SAP - whose shares are down 7.2% since mid-July after posting their biggest daily drop since late 2020 on Tuesday - trades at around 45 times. WILL AI 'EAT SOFTWARE'? Although many AI adopter stocks are struggling, some investors say markets will eventually take a more systematic approach, picking out potential winners and losers. "At the moment, it feels like the market's just shooting first and putting them all in a 'challenged basket'," said Aviva's Kothari, referring to the decline in UK AI adopters. The hype around new AI models has led to the resurfacing of 2017 comments from Jensen Huang, the CEO of AI chipmaking behemoth Nvidia, that "AI is going to eat software". "We don't disagree, but we believe some delineation is warranted here, as not all software companies are equally exposed," said Steve Wreford, portfolio manager on the global thematic equity team at Lazard Asset Management. He said those with software deeply embedded into client company workflows, or with hard-to-replicate proprietary data, still had strong competitive advantages. Paddy Flood, portfolio manager and global sector specialist, technology, at Schroders, said it was important to distinguish between different types of software. "Enterprise-grade applications are less exposed, given their mission-critical nature, the complexity involved in replacing them, and the value of a trusted vendor ensuring ongoing service," he said. Aviva's Kothari also flagged the benefits of having software deeply embedded with customers, citing UK credit data firm Experian as an example. "It has lots of data unique to it, but it's also hugely embedded in the workflows of financial institutions. They want to make a loan, they need Experian," he said, also highlighting Britain's Sage. He holds both stocks, along with LSEG, but cautioned that proprietary data alone may no longer be enough to protect businesses. "I just don't think data is a big enough moat anymore," he said. The selloff in AI adopter stocks could be an opportunity for investors to pick the winners, said UBS O'Connor's Ahkong. "Some of the affected names will actually be able to use AI as an opportunity and tailwind for earnings, but need to prove that from here and that will take time," Ahkong said. But how much time the companies have is unclear. Some investors were already warning earlier this year that the clock was ticking for big spenders on AI to show returns.
