- The UK has tested a new laser weapon for shooting down drones.
- The Ministry of Defense said the weapon uses a high-power beam that travels at the speed of light.
- It could help defend ships and armored vehicles against drone swarms.
Britain has tested a powerful new laser weapon that can take out swarms of drones, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.
The DragonFire laser weapon fired at several aerial targets for the first time at a range in the Hebrides in Scotland, according to a press release.
Politicians in the UK are now hoping to speed up its deployment following growing attacks by Houthi rebels against ships in the Red Sea, according to The Times.
"These trials have seen us take a huge step forward in realising the potential opportunities and understanding the threats posed by directed energy weapons [DEWs]," said Dr Paul Hollinshead, chief executive of the MoD's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL).
The MoD did not disclose the range of the weapon but said its accuracy is so great it's equivalent to being able to hit a coin at a distance of a kilometer (0.6 miles).
The laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) system was used in the tests to engage aerial targets several miles away, said The Times, and could be used to protect naval vessels in around five years.
The weapon cost around $126 million (£100 million) to develop, said the MoD, and uses a highly concentrated energy beam that travels at the speed of light to take out targets.
Firing it for 10 seconds is the cost equivalent of using a regular heater for just an hour, it added. The cost of operating the laser is typically less than $13 per shot.
The UK is not the only country to be developing laser weapons, with the US already deploying them in the Middle East to deter drone and missile attacks, though it's unclear if they've been used yet.
Russia also claims to have used laser weapons to take out Ukrainian drones, though their effectiveness is unclear.
The weapons are relatively cheap to use compared to current air defense systems, which use missiles costing millions to intercept drones costing as little as $2,000.
