Latest news with #laserweapons
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Nano-drones and DragonFire lasers: New tech blazes a trail for UK's modernising military
The science fiction of Star Wars is rapidly becoming a reality as laser weapons and attack drones feature heavily in Britain's evolving armed forces. 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.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel becomes the first country to down drones in combat with a laser weapon
Israel's military is the first to use laser weapons to shoot down drones in war. The systems were prototypes and are being integrated into the country's air defenses. Videos and photos show the system, made by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Israel's military used new laser weapons to kill enemy drones, making it the first country to do so in a war. It marks a major development in the fielding and use of these experimental weapons, which militaries worldwide are developing to deepen their defenses against drones and missiles, reducing the strain on other missiles and other projectiles. Israel's Ministry of Defense announced that soldiers from Israeli Air Force Aerial Defense Array deployed and operated a high-power laser system prototype, which successfully intercepted enemy threats. It is a big step closer to strategists' vision of a future battlefield where the expanding threat of missiles and drones can be countered by the zaps of laser weapons that have an unlimited magazine. A video shared by the Israeli Ministry of Defense showed the laser systems in action, in at least 3 interceptions. One engagement shows the laser igniting the drone's wingtip, causing it to spiral and crash. Brig. Gen. Yehuda Elmakayes, head of the ministry's defense and research directorate, said prototypes have previously been deployed "culminating in the world's first successful high-power laser interceptions on the battlefield." Feedback from the use of the weapons will continue to inform their use and development, he and other officials said in a statement shared with BI. The systems are made by Israeli-based defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. They're directed energy weapons that point an intense beam of light at a target and use heat to damage or destroy it; these processes demand pinpoint accuracy and high power. The defense ministry said the weapons "complement the more powerful Iron Beam system," a larger network of similar systems that's in the works. Iron Beam is estimated to cost $500 million and would add another layer to Israel's layered air defenses — one especially useful against the kinds of drones that Hamas and Hezbollah wield. Laser weapons have been a priority for militaries around world, especially in the Middle East, where countries are racing to field the technology. Besides Israel, Saudia Arabia is using Chinese systems to develop laser air defense capacities, while the United Arab Emirates is working on its own system. The US, too, is actively working on laser prototypes, such as the AN/SEQ-3 Laser Weapon System made by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, as well as microwave emitters and other directed-energy weapons. Officials have suggested lasers are particularly useful for taking out cheaper enemy targets like drones rather than expending expensive missile interceptors. That's been at the forefront of conversations around conflicts in waters around the Middle East, where the US has expended over a billion dollars in munitions to shoot down Houthi drones. With Israel's landmark use of the weapon, Rafael CEO Yoav Tourgeman said the system "will fundamentally change the defense equation by enabling fast, precise, cost-effective interceptions, unmatched by any existing system." There remain issues, though, surrounding the amount of power and accuracy needed for a laser to destroy its target. Lasers have struggled to work around water or through clouds or smoke, because moisture or other particles diffuse the laser's beam. And even a functional laser weapon requires a high-voltage energy source and an accurate sensor system that are likely to become targets of attack. Staff writer Jake Epstein contributed to this report. Read the original article on Business Insider
Bloomberg
28-05-2025
- General
- Bloomberg
Israel Acknowledges Use of Laser Weapons to Intercept Drones
Israel has deployed laser weapons during its ongoing war to deflect 'scores' of aerial attacks, including from drones, the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. This is the first time the country has acknowledged the use of directed-energy technologies in the battlefield. The systems were described as a less powerful 'prototype' of the 100-kilowatt Iron Beam laser interceptor that will be operational in Israel by the end of the year. The Defense Ministry also released footage of what it said were the lasers intercepting fixed-wing drones in the sky.
