The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) – along with its Defence industry partners MBDA, Leonardo and Qinetiq – is publishing ‘never seen before’ declassified footage of the DragonFire Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) system, in action over the skies of the Hebrides.
Included is an animated video showing a sample scenario of DragonFire’s possible use in a maritime environment.
The DragonFire Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) system has proven itself in testing and has the very real potential for it to transform the UK’s Defence capability. Demonstrating the potential of LDEW, DragonFire can provide a credible sovereign UK capability to meet the UK defence needs. LDEW offers a number of significant benefits, including reduced logistic, cost burden and collateral damage in operations.
Animation shows a carrier group consisting of various Royal Navy ships and a Type 26 frigate fitted with DragonFire laser weapon systems (port and starboard), demonstrating a potential layered defence scenario against three threat types. pic.twitter.com/yZt0jOlHE3
— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) March 11, 2024
What’s in the animation?
A fictitious carrier group consisting of various Royal Navy Ships including a Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier and a Type 26 frigate fitted with integrated DragonFire systems (port and starboard) and demonstrating a potential layered defence scenario against three threat types.
The carrier group detects a set of incoming threats via radar (generically: air search mode and marine search mode).
Initially four sub-sonic uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) targets are detected, quickly followed by a super-sonic fast jet target via radar air search. In radar marine (small) target search, a close-in target is picked up (FIAC – Fast Incoming Attack Craft).
This is a hypothetical scenario only. Before engaging any threat, a series of steps are undertaken to establish the nature of the threat and the appropriate response before deciding to engage.
Also, note the Chemring CENTURION trainable decoy launcher to the left of the Dragonfire mount on the Type 26, the two box structures aft of the amidship mushroom farm. Does anyone know what those box structures are, could have sworn I’ve seen them somewhere before.
Beehives.
They already have the beekeepers outfits Frank, so that saves a few bob…..
The box structures are loop antennas for close range but over the horizon communications. The T45s have a similar system.
Its clear this type of weapon will be useful in a maritime environment but it will have limitations as mist, fog and sea spray could limit its effectiveness, getting it airborne in the martime space as well on the surface would help mitigate these limitations. Although it interesting they don’t consider fitting it to the carriers themselves as the bigger = more stable platform, and laser weapons need stabilty to keep the energy focused on one part on the threat long enough to damage it.
Seperately its good to see the T23 with Sea Ceptor performing well in the Red Sea and the Iver Huitfeldt also getting in on the action. Gives us some confidence the T26 and T31 will also perform well in the same scenario.
The laser’s power output has never been a problem. Though to fair you really need over 250kW output to take-out small targets near the horizon or heavily shielded targets closer in. As the higher spot intensity means that it takes less time to burn through the target’s skin. Plus with the higher power you can compensate for some of the dispersion and attenuation effects from the atmosphere.
It is and has always been the ability to keep the laser focused and fixed to a particular point on the target that’s been the problem for these types of weapons. Particularly keeping the beam focused on a moving target. From what I have heard/read, MBDA/Leonardo/Qinetiq have now solved a lot of these issues for Dragonfire. Which means in theory that Dragonfire’s power output could be increased from its published 50kW
Indeed glad you explained that as you get people saying it’s only 50kW but firstly the most important problem to solve is as you say is tracking, ie maintaining spot intensity on a given target which will dictate the power required in the beam itself. Secondly having solved that issue upgrading that overall power while not negligible is by far the more straightforward process.
Overall effectiveness will also be dictated by the target’s form and structure and its sensing and targeting technology. This is where the layered defence comes in as lasers will be extremely effective against many targets and far less so against others. And of course over time there will be adaptations on both sides to improve capabilities to counter the other.
Bit of a silly question but can ships regenerate any power (like in hybrids) that could be stored and reused with a DEW or any other weapon system or electricals/electronics onboard?
Hope these Dragon Fire can get onto the carriers and T45s.
Easy to store the power. Flywheels, capacitor banks.
However lots of ifs and buts over lasers. Physics is a bitch and cannot be ignored.
Range of the current crop of systems means engaging targets at around 5km. Dwell time, target speed, time to lock on, swarms all start to figure in your calculations.
With a large enough swarm say 20 drones doing say 300km/h and a 10 s dwell time you wont get all of them in time unless you have more than one system. Its going to be another part of a layered defence.
Thanks GB!
Green ones with a red top…however getting them away from the Chops Logs may be a bigger issue…
Isn’t there a limit where power starts to potentially turn the air to plasma, thought I’d read that somewhere.
I believe the tracking and focus are related to power to some degree. More power means less time on target. If you have enough rapidly repeatable power where it only take a millie second on target you could in theory pepper your target area. So highly accurate tracking is less of an issue.
For what the lasers are expected to be used for it doesn’t seem totally nessecary to fit them to the carriers. They’ll always be escorted, and more than likely any threat to them will be intercepted at long range. For frigates and Destroyers deployed solo however this is a more relevant tool.
So instead of DEW itl be wether manipulation, but also bang goes the captains farts,
If he farts the most will stop the DEW from working
While I concede it’s good to have another tool in the box, if something in the class of a plodding Reaper drone at medium to high altitude actually gets close enough to employ weapons on a task group, then something has gone seriously wrong….
In reality, it would be dealt with 50 + miles away by the accompanying T45, or 20 miles away by one of the Sea Ceptor armed escorts…..
Or Kamikaze Bees !
Seriously though, There must be quite a few Issues to overcome with this Tech, effective range and ability to stay focussed long enough to cause damage, Cloud cover, Fog, Mist, Snow….. It’ll be interesting to see what happens next.
Still waiting impatiently for Phasers and Photon Torpedos! Perhaps next year…😁
Those Photon Torpedoes are something else, aren’t they ? 😅…. way better than those dastardly Klingon Disrupter beams……. Oh now you got me singing, “Star Trecking, across the universe”… (so on and so forth), favorite bit coming up….. There’s klingons on the starboard bow…. well wipe them off captain”…. sorry, I got a bit “Lost in Space” there for a bit…….. 😄
Hmmm…do you think the Orcs need to be recast as Klingons and ChiComs as Romulans or perhaps the Borg Collective (“Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated”)? 🤔😳😱
Well, the original StarTrek was as Gene Roddenberry later admitted, infact a mirror on the World’s problems, so indeed the Klingons were effectively the Soviets. It’s why he also loosely referenced racial discrimination and such matters too as boldly as no one had gone before. The powers that be didn’t see that for quite some time apparently being simple souls, at least till the interracial kiss had to be faced up to and it was changed from a Kirk to Spock which was ok because he wasn’t an all American boy.
Huh, a complete WAG on my part! Learn something new virtually every time UKDJ site visited. 👍😊
whatever happened to “7 of 9” ?
Prefer to believe Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One (aka Jeri Ryan) is still serving as eye candy for the good ship and crew of starship Voyager. Quite pleased when this smokin’ hot babe joined the cast in season four! 😋😁😉
you and me both Sir! She did fill out her rather tight fitting uniform vey well!
Seem to be making progress on warp drives mind.
We have the White Cat ready and standing by …
? Sorry, my age and/or ignorance on full display…
It won’t be funny if I explain it … Oh, all right … Ernst Blofeld, a villain, stroking a white cat? Death Ray merchant? Baldy bloke? (Donald Pleasance – RAF veteran who alone amongst the cast of The Great Escape had been a PoW …). White cats are possible, Death Ray’s may take a while. Not funny now is it?
No Mr Larking I expect that joke to die.
Very good.
No, but thanks for the explanation. 👍😊
BTW, had no previous knowledge that D. Pleasance had been a RAF PoW. C. Bronson was a member of flight crew aboard (B-17?/B-24?). Real men w/ real life experience.
Apologies for errata. C. Bronson was a gunner aboard B-29s, based out of Guam (61st Bombardment Squadron), attacking Japanese home islands in 1945. Veteran of 25 missions and received the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in combat.
Who never talked about it. Special.
👍👍
Shields mate that’s what’s needed.
At least it looks like they have the measure of those pesky RAF Defender drones.
Yes its weird they don’t fit anything to the Carrier itself, It has a surfeit of Kw. Maybe they like to keep the axis of evil mob guessing.
I remember how the Iranians were practicing paragliding onto Carriers. I am thinking that attack option will be shelved pdq.
👍😁
Or Tractor Beams… you could use them to hold them still whilst shooting .50 cal at them.
Shields and warp drive may be some distance over the technological horizon.
So there is a T26 there ?? Really.
They should send Lazer weapons to Ukraine be a lot cheaper and more effective in the long term.
When you’ve seen it for Real George you’d be better placed to write about it.
If the missile/aircraft/drone etc has a forward projecting smoke generator it’s useless surely.
And fit some mirrors….. Smoke and mirrors !
Aha-We have perfect stealth!
Unless the missile/aircraft/drone is hovering and there’s no wind a smoke generator it may possibly work. If moving forwards the smoke won’t be able to stay in front of the vehicle for long enough to block the laser.
By the way, don’t call me Shirley!
Only if you’re running away! is the smoke float and smoke mortar once again a part of naval doctrine?
What are those mounts on the side of the carrier just below the carrier flight deck amidships and towards the stern?
Baskets…. for the Window Cleaners.
Or for flowers? Liven the place up a bit?
Oh those are the balconies for the paying passengers. The Navy’s going into the cruise business to bring in some extra funds.
Honestly this is awesome. No more big bangs just energy weapons
They won’t replace the conventional weapons such as CIWS, just provide another option.
From Naval News:
French Navy decided to improve their gun directors in the other FREMM, HORIZON in face of lessons from these drone combats. PASEO XLR will be added to all of them.
Yeah it’s just a shame as it’s a case of too little too late, but now we know it works let’s get it rolled out and fitted onto our Navy ships
Jackanory…
Well said!
Would it not be better to put this ‘dream weapon’ onto an aircraft carrier? I seem to recall somewhere, that a laser weapon would require huge amounts of energy, to ‘fire’ off a burst, or single, or whatever.
Then there is the recovery time between shots or pulses. An aircraft carrier could easily accommodate the weight of the power generators, that fire these things.
I seem to recall when the POW was built, that it was 3000 tonnes heavier that the QE.
Maybe the extra weight was for laser weapons?
When Laser/DE Weapons mature enough to be deployable the Carriers should be at the front of the que to get them – no risk of FOD.
They aren’t a replacement for CIWS, they’re a tool to deal with threats like cheap drones and other low end attack craft. Reason why they may not end up on the carriers is because they are not deployed on missions alone like Diamond to deal with such threats.
there is an article which is suggesting a cost of £10 per shot
Thats great but they still can’t replace CIWS
Well said.
Pure clickbate, all I seen was an AI generated video unless I can’t see the real one, itl only be a matter of time before the DEW is used against the UK To burn areas like in the so called wild fires in the US recently, but not only that you all know all they will do it paint the drones and bombs BLUE lasers can’t burn blue as we are well aware from the recent DEW fake climate change wild fires in the US, everything that was blue survived even when things burned around the blue object
lol wot
The part about a blue surface absorbing a blue laser is dependent on the power of the laser
What happened to the WW2 proximity fused shell. Could be modified and much cheaper