Dragonfire is a British laser

directed-energy weapon A directed-energy weapon (DEW) is a ranged weapon that damages its target with highly focused energy without a solid projectile, including lasers, microwaves, particle beams, and sound beams. Potential applications of this technology include we ...

technology demonstrator A technology demonstration (or tech demo), also known as demonstrator model, is a prototype, rough example or an otherwise incomplete version of a conceivable product or future system, put together as proof of concept with the primary purpose of ...

. It was first unveiled to the public in 2017 at the DSEI conference in London and is being developed by UK Dragonfire, a consortium consisting of

MBDA UK MBDA UK is the British division of the pan-European missile systems company MBDA (itself a joint venture of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo). Formed in 2001, the company has produced a range of missile systems, including the CAMM missile famil ...

, Leonardo UK, Qinetiq and

Dstl The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom. Its stated purpose is "to maximise the impact of science and technology for the defence and security of the UK". The a ...

. As a technology demonstrator, it will be used to assess laser directed-energy weapons and their potential applications within the

British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces, also known as His Majesty's Armed Forces, are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, s ...

Development

The weapon was first shown publicly at the 2017 DSEI conference in London. A contract worth £30 million was subsequently awarded by Dstl to an industry consortium, named UK Dragonfire, led by MBDA UK with QinetiQ, Leonardo,

GKN GKN Ltd is a British multinational automotive and aerospace components business headquartered in Redditch, England. It is a long-running business known for many decades as Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds. It can trace its origins back to 1759 an ...

, Arke,

BAE Systems BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. ...

and Marshall Land Systems participating, to develop a technology demonstrator. Trials were to begin in 2018, followed by a major demonstration in 2019, however the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

and technical problems caused delays. It was ultimately deployed on trials in 2022 on the ranges in the

Outer Hebrides The Outer Hebrides () or Western Isles ( gd, Na h-Eileanan Siar or or ("islands of the strangers"); sco, Waster Isles), sometimes known as the Long Isle/Long Island ( gd, An t-Eilean Fada, links=no), is an island chain off the west coast ...

, Scotland. According to MBDA, these initial low power trials proved Dragonfire's ability to track air and sea targets with exceptionally high accuracy. This was followed by high power trials in November 2022, where the weapon engaged targets using its high power laser in operationally-representative scenarios.

Characteristics

Dragonfire uses UK-pioneered beam combining technology to deliver a laser beam with increased power density, reduced defeat times and increased effective range. This is achieved, in part, through the use of tens of glass fibres, however the full technical approach remains classified. The laser and its associated targeting systems, including an electro-optical camera and second lower-power laser for imaging and tracking, are mounted to a turret. The laser is reportedly in the 50 kW class and is designed to defend land and maritime targets from threats such as missiles and mortars. Its energy demands may be met by a Flywheel Energy Storage System (FESS), a joint UK-US innovation currently in development. The UK envisages high energy laser weapons, like Dragonfire, onboard future

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

warships,

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

armoured vehicles and fighter aircraft of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

, including

Tempest Tempest is a synonym for a storm. '' The Tempest'' is a play by William Shakespeare. Tempest or The Tempest may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''The Tempest'' (1908 film), a British silent film * ''The Tempest'' (1911 film), a ...

; it aims to demonstrate these concepts on board a

Type 23 frigate The Type 23 frigate or Duke class is a class of frigates built for the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. The ships are named after British Dukes, thus leading to the class being commonly known as the Duke class. The first Type 23, , was commission ...

and a Wolfhound armoured vehicle.

References

{{reflist Military lasers Directed-energy weapons