Leonardo displays the DragonFire high energy laser weapon during a NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG) industry day at Portsmouth naval base. (Leonardo)
PORTSMOUTH, England — A trio of British industry partners are exploring how to reduce the size of an in-development high energy laser set to be equipped for the first time on a Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer next year.
Local firm QinetiQ, alongside the British divisions of MBDA and Leonardo, are collaborating on the DragonFire weapon system. The platform is estimated to cost less than £10 ($13) per shot, as new test and evaluation activities focus on miniaturizing the laser.
Qinetic’s ongoing work is focused on exploring “the overall manufacture of the [laser] beam, trying to reduce the size further of the whole system … [and] understanding the through-life support of a system like this,” said James Anderson, Royal Navy account lead at QinetiQ.
He told Breaking Defense and other trade media outlets during a NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG) industry day on Tuesday that the target of installing DragonFire on a Type 45 ship before the end of 2027 remains “on track.”
