These successful trials have cleared the path to rapid deployment. The £316 million contract was given to MBDA UK for mounting the DragonFire system on Royal Navy ships from 2027 onwards. (Image Source: X.com/ANI)
Britain has officially entered a new era in military technology. The UK's groundbreaking laser weapon, DragonFire, just made history by successfully shooting down high-speed drones in a series of live trials.
This achievement, carried out at the Ministry of Defence's Hebrides range, marks a significant first for the UK.
During tests, DragonFire showed its power and precision, tracking and destroying drones flying at close to 650 kilometers per hour, a speed roughly twice that of a top Formula 1 race car.
Video footage from the trials reveals the smooth way in which the weapon's turret locks onto the fast-moving target; then an almost invisible beam of light shoots out, and within moments, the drone starts to smoke, loses control, and breaks apart. Defence officials are calling this one of the most advanced laser intercepts ever filmed in Europe.
These trials did not just hit targets; they pushed the technology to new limits. For the first time, DragonFire successfully tracked and destroyed targets that were above the horizon line, proving its capability for long-range defense.
The stability of the laser beam, keeping it focused over long distances, even against strong coastal winds, impressed the engineers.
The message comes across loud and clear: the DragonFire project is no longer a science experiment. Successful tests confirm that the UK's directed-energy weapon is combat-ready, operating exactly as designed fast, silent, accurate, and devastating.
These successful trials have cleared the path to rapid deployment. The £316 million contract was given to MBDA UK for mounting the DragonFire system on Royal Navy ships from 2027 onwards.
This is a big step, as it places the weapon into service five years earlier than initially planned. It is also extremely affordable.
Instead of using traditional ammunition, DragonFire relies on a focused beam of light. Each shot fired costs only around £10, a minuscule fraction when considering the hundreds of thousands of pounds invested in conventional missile interceptors.
Moreover, its precision is such that it reportedly could hit a £1 coin from a distance of one kilometer. Defence Readiness and Industry Minister Luke Pollard said:
"This high-power laser will see our Royal Navy at the leading edge of innovation in NATO." The rapid rollout supports hundreds of jobs and delivers on the government's promise to back British industry and enhance the nation's defense.
