DragonFire (weapon)

The weapon was first shown publicly at the 2017 DSEI conference in London. Development of the technology demonstrator was to be carried out by a partnership between the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) and private industry. UK DragonFire is the result of contracts worth £100 million – of which £30 million was awarded by the MoD's Chief Scientific Advisor's Research Programme – from various companies, led by MBDA UK with QinetiQ, Leonardo, GKN, Arke, BAE Systems and Marshall Land Systems participating, to develop a technology demonstrator.{{cite news |title=Dragonfire: Laser Directed Energy Weapons |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dragonfire-laser-directed-energy-weapons |work=GOV.UK |date=13 September 2017}}

Trials were to begin in 2018, followed by a major demonstration in 2019; however, the COVID-19 pandemic and technical problems caused delays. It was ultimately deployed on trials in 2022 on the ranges in the Outer Hebrides in 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.{{cite news |title=Dragonfire proving trials underway |url=https://www.mbda-systems.com/press-releases/dragonfire-proving-trials-underway/ |access-date=19 July 2022 |work=MBDA UK |date=17 July 2022}}{{cite news |title=Laser power moves a step closer for UK defence |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/laser-power-moves-a-step-closer-for-uk-defence |access-date=8 November 2022 |work=GOV.UK |date=8 November 2022}} DragonFire engaged an airborne target in exercises in Scotland in January 2024. The MOD stated: "The range of DragonFire is classified, but it is a line-of-sight weapon and can engage with any visible target. The precision required is equivalent to hitting a £1 coin (23 mm) from a kilometre away."{{Cite web |date=19 January 2024 |title=Advanced Future Military Laser Achieves UK First |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/advanced-future-military-laser-achieves-uk-first}}https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68031257 However according to an article on Freethink, "On November 8, 2022, it revealed that the $115 million laser weapon had been fired at high power at targets, including a drone and metals like the ones used in ship hulls, at ranges up to 2.1 miles." {{Cite web |date=30 October 2024 |title=UK test-fires its first high-energy laser weapon |url=https://www.freethink.com/futurology/laser-weapon}} It has been tested against mortar rounds and drones.{{cite news |title=Declassified video shows DragonFire laser weapon in action |url=https://newatlas.com/military/declassified-dragonfire-laser/ |access-date=17 March 2024 |work=New Atlas |date=11 March 2024}} The UK MoD claims the firing of the weapon, for 10 seconds, only costs £10 per shot or the equivalent of running a heater for one hour.{{cite news |title=UK tests a laser weapon that can hit a coin from a kilometer and costs just Rs 1,000 for a single fire |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/uk-tests-a-laser-weapon-that-can-hit-a-coin-from-a-kilometer-and-costs-just-rs-1000-for-a-single-fire/articleshow/108428147.cms |access-date=15 April 2024 |work=The Economics Times |date=12 March 2024}}

In April 2024, the MOD announced that new procurement rules had increased the rate of development of the weapon and, as a result, it is expected to be in service onboard Royal Navy ships from 2027 instead of the originally planned 2032.{{cite news |title=New procurement rules help rapid fitting of military laser to Royal Navy ships |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-procurement-rules-help-rapid-fitting-of-military-laser-to-royal-navy-ships |access-date=12 April 2024 |agency=GOV.UK |date=12 April 2024}} UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps stated that an early version of the weapon could be used by Ukraine against Russia as part of the Russo-Ukrainian War.{{cite news| last=Casey | first=Ian | last2=Beale | first2=Jonathan | title=DragonFire: UK laser could be used against Russian drones on Ukraine front line | publisher=BBC News | date=12 April 2024 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68795603}}

QinetiQ, one of the companies involved in the development of DragonFire, is also contributing to an Australian effort to develop a similar weapon; technology and expertise from DragonFire has fed into its development.{{cite news |title=QinetiQ opens state-of-the-art research facility, QinetiQ Laboratories |url=https://www.qinetiq.com/en/news/qinetiq-opens-state-of-the-art-research-facility-qinetiq-laboratories |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=QinetiQ |date=13 November 2024}}{{cite news |title=QinetiQ shows off high-powered Laser Tech for Australia |url=https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/qinetiq-shows-off-high-powered-laser-tech-for-australia/ |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=UK Defence Journal |date=17 March 2025}}{{cite news |title=QinetiQ demonstrates Australian-first laser technology to enhance sovereign defence capabilities |url=https://www.qinetiq.com/en-us/news/qinetiq-demonstrates-australian-first-laser-technology-to-enhance-sovereign-defence-capabilities |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=QinetiQ |date=12 March 2025 |quote=[...] while also utilising the expertise from QinetiQ in the United Kingdom, a member of the DragonFire consortium on behalf of the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence. The fusion of high-power laser amplifiers, designed by DSTG and built by QinetiQ, with QinetiQ’s beam combination technology has accelerated the development of sovereign capabilities and skills.}}

On 26 March 2025, additional funding was secured to accelerate DragonFire's entry into service; four ships, rather than one, will be equipped with the system by 2027.{{cite news |title=DragonFire directed energy weapon to be fitted to four Royal Navy warships by 2027 |url=https://www.navylookout.com/dragonfire-directed-energy-weapon-to-be-fitted-to-four-royal-navy-warships-by-2027/ |access-date=26 March 2025 |work=NavyLookout |date=26 March 2025}}

DragonFire uses UK-pioneered beam-combining technology to deliver a laser beam with increased power density, reduced defeat times and increased effective range.{{cite news |title=Case study: UK Dragonfire – Transforming future weapons technology |url=https://www.qinetiq.com/en/blogs/dragonfire-case-study |access-date=19 July 2022 |work=Qinetiq |date=23 November 2017}} This is achieved, in part, through the use of tens of glass fibres; however, the full technical approach remains classified.{{cite news |last1=Osborne |first1=Tony |title=UK Dragonfire Laser Begins Firing Trials |url=https://aviationweek.com/shownews/farnborough-airshow/uk-dragonfire-laser-begins-firing-trials |access-date=19 July 2022 |work=Aviation Week |date=17 July 2022}} 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 mortar rounds.{{cite news |last1=Tangermann |first1=Victor |title=The UK's New "Dragonfire" Laser Weapon is Weirdly Steampunk |url=https://futurism.com/uk-laser-weapon-dragonfire-energy-flywheel |access-date=22 July 2022 |work=Futurism |date=5 January 2019}} Its energy demands may be met by a Flywheel Energy Storage System (FESS), a joint UK–US innovation currently in development.{{cite news |title=UK & USA test naval power systems |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-usa-test-naval-power-systems |access-date=22 July 2022 |work=GOV.UK |date=1 May 2019}} The range of the weapon is undisclosed classified information. Cost per firing is very low; it has been stated as £10.

The UK envisages high-energy laser weapons, like DragonFire, onboard future Royal Navy warships, British Army armoured vehicles and fighter aircraft of the Royal Air Force, including the BAE Systems Tempest;{{cite news |title=Britain’s ‘Dragonfire’ ship laser gun to get accuracy boost |url=https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2021/03/15/britains-dragonfire-ship-laser-gun-to-get-accuracy-boost/ |access-date=1 February 2023 |work=Defense News |date=15 March 2021}} it aims to demonstrate these concepts on board a Type 23 frigate and a Wolfhound armoured vehicle.{{cite news |title=Brits make new push for directed-energy weapons aboard vehicles, ships |url=https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/dsei/2021/09/14/brits-make-new-push-for-directed-energy-weapons-aboard-vehicles-ships/ |access-date=1 February 2023 |work=Defense News |date=14 September 2021}}

;{{UK}}

:* Royal Navy (from 2027)

• Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon - a parallel development of a radio frequency directed-energy weapon
• HELIOS (United States)
• Iron Beam (Israel)
• ALKA (weapon) (Turkey)

• Laser weapon

{{reflist}}

Category:Military lasers

Category: Directed-energy weapons

Category: Close-in weapon systems