In response to a question from James Cartlidge, MP for South Suffolk, regarding the UK’s efforts to increase sovereign capabilities in directed energy weaponry, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has outlined its commitment to advancing this cutting-edge technology.
Maria Eagle, Minister of State for Defence, confirmed the government’s plans to accelerate investment in UK Sovereign Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) technology, with a clear focus on delivering new capabilities to the Armed Forces.
Eagle stated, “The Ministry of Defence has committed to accelerating the continued investment in UK Sovereign Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) technology, to provide cutting edge capability to the Armed Forces swiftly.”
She explained that the MOD is currently working on delivering capability demonstrators and accelerated Minimum Deployable Capabilities, including the DragonFire project, which is expected to bring Laser DEW into operational capability by 2027.
The MOD is also preparing to integrate Directed Energy Weapon capabilities into core service during the 2030s.
Eagle noted that since 2018, the UK has been investing in its Directed Energy Weapons Programme, “focused on stimulating UK industry through delivering a capability that prioritises a UK sovereign approach.”
This focus on UK-led technological development in the DEW field reflects the MOD’s commitment to equipping the Armed Forces with state-of-the-art defensive and offensive capabilities, while fostering growth within the domestic defence industry.
Words are sounding good of late let’s hope the actions indeed do follow and indeed inspire domestic producers as well as capabilities.
Currently unstated, but reasonably certain DEW capability will become an AUKUS Pillar II initiative w/in the foreseeable future, perhaps grouped together w/ hypersonics/counter-hypersonics under the rubric of future weapon systems. Deem this to be too significant a potential capability to be left entirely to happenstance development. 🤔
Seems odd when questioned on some things government is able to say yes we’re investing in that on others it’s oh no can’t comment on that because of the defence review. It’s like they know the outcome of the review when it’s good news only.
Well we might manage to make it take out a civvy drone before a big missile hits.
There’s a reason the US keeps giving up.
Im no expert, but I reckon laser weapons could be defeated with a mirror or another type of reflective surface.🤣
That assumes the electromagnetic spectrum is visible light, thought presumably reflection is possible generally across the spectrum.
I’d imagine that infrared is an effective disruptor.
Mirrors aren’t 100% reflective. And that’s before you cover them in dirty and scratches. And even without that, down at the quantum level the material is “handling” all those energetic photons At that scale photons are being absorbed by atoms which then emits a new photon Then the real problems emerge All those collisions change the material. In this case from a-mirror to not-a-mirror And it’s progressive which accelerates the process It only works with your bathroom mirror and a laser pen because your mirror can dump the heat faster than the pen can heat it Once you get above… Read more »
Interesting and wildly different than the aerodynamics concerns of aircraft. Yes, the Chaf response to disipate RADAR is not difficult to incorporate into an aircraft, and even link to the inbound targeting RADAR warning receiver so that the missile seeker tracks the wrong target in the final phase. Ramping that idea up for DEW has similarly to the reactive explosive armour blocks on main battle tanks. The low observable coatings on stealth aircraft are not supposed to be sacrificial but the F22 sustainment costs suggest that its a painting the Forth Bridge problem presumably because the flight environment is more… Read more »
I wonder how well a dual laser will work.
Primary laser is your pulsed megawatt weapon.
Secondary laser’s job is like a sweeper, it scans very fast add the target point putting out enough power to energetically clear away dissipators line steam, chaff, dirt.
I’m seeing a BIG laser placed centrally and a secondary laser being directed in rapid circles by a reflector ring that’s mounted around the central laser.
Mirrors can reflect that laser because it has to work with the targeting mirrors.
But it’s powerful enough to create a clear channel for the Primary to fire down.
Trouble is the dilithium crystals will break down.and the engines wont be able to stand the enormous pressure
“expected to bring Laser DEW into operational capability by 2027”
So government is sure that we won’t be fighting drone threats for at least three years, despite the evidence of the Gulf and Ukrainian conflicts!
Surely the Navy has an Urgent Operational Requirement now, before ships return to the Gulf…
2027?? isn’t that when HMS Glasgow F88 will enter service with the Royal Navy??
It’s not just DEW that can defeat drones. Many other technologies exist or are being rapidly developed.
Presumably CIWS have ammo limits and reload cycle times that provide vulnerability to drone swarm attacks. So DEW should have an advantage in rapid target destruction..
Although DEWs will make excellent CWIS, the 40mm Bofors on the type 31s are excellent ciws weapons themselves and achieve it without hosing the sky from a small magazine
The 3P ammo crates a cloud of shrapnel in the flight path of the drone
Like flying through a wood chipper
And then there’s also the 57mm, all three firing away should make quite the mess
And as they’re all through deck the magazines can be good and chonky.
Thanks, great insight. Obviously any specifics that might enable the estimate of a drone swarm overload will not be public information.
Long may those hootie attacks enjoy the flying through a wood chipper experience and the Royal Navy crew be defended.
Romania already have this, from 1970 used against Russia, invention of Romanian Fizician Henry Coandă. Was a small team of 20 Romanians soldiers against Russians Army.