Declassified Video Shows DragonFire Laser Weapon in Action
Crown Copyright
Recently disclosed footage demonstrates the UK’s £100 million (US$127 million) DragonFire laser weapon as it undergoes tests, destroying various targets such as drones and mortar rounds on test benches and in field scenarios.
Although DragonFire has been in development since 2017, information regarding the 50-kW class laser has remained classified. What we do understand is that it comprises solid-state technology, featuring bundles of doped glass fibers that consolidate their output into a single beam through a beam-combining system designed in Britain. Equipped with a secondary laser and an electro-optical camera for target identification and beam adjustment, it is installed on a turret.
Insights into DragonFire Construction
The recently released video, provided by Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD), provides further insights into its construction. It showcases the functioning of the target acquisition and designation system, demonstrates the laser undergoing trials against stationary bench targets, and incorporates footage from January’s field tests at the British Army’s Hebrides Range in Scotland, where it effectively tracked and engaged numerous targets.
The video also included animations illustrating DragonFire’s operations aboard a warship, where it incapacitated a boat, incapacitated a drone, and brought down another drone. Additionally, the MoD released an image depicting a mortar round penetrated by DragonFire.
Technology Demonstrator for Next-Generation Weaponry
Despite the apparent success of the tests, the Royal Navy and the British Army will not integrate DragonFire into their standard weaponry. Its role is to serve as a technology demonstrator, gathering data to support the development of a larger-scale second-generation weapon system, which is yet to receive funding. This development phase will not only focus on advancing basic technology but also on finding alternatives to foreign-made components by incorporating British militarized versions.
A feasible laser weapon offers the advantage of not only being able to hit a target the size of a one-pound coin from a distance of one kilometer (0.6 miles) at the speed of light but also potentially replacing defensive missiles, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, with lasers that, apart from hardware expenses, incur approximately £10 (US$13) per shot. Additionally, the “ammunition” is virtually limitless as long as there is a secure power supply.
Read the original article on: New Atlas
