Drones are increasingly menacing the skies above, whether as buzzing nuisances destroying a scenic locale’s peaceful vibes or wielded as a kamikaze drone spreading terror.
As such, world militaries are intensely interested in anti-drone weaponry right now. Take the latest demo from the British Armed Forces to take down these suckers: shooting them out of the blue with a powerful laser beam.
The country’s Ministry of Defense recently tested the DragonFire laser at a facility in Scotland, according to a statement, where it was able to successfully shoot down high speed drones that “fly up to 650 km/h [404 miles per hour] — twice the top speed of a Formula 1 car.”
A video posted by the UK Defense Journal shows the laser technology, developed by European defense firm MDBA, being deployed aboard Royal Navy ships so it can counter attack drones from would be adversaries.
“The accuracy is razor sharp,” a voiceover says in the video. “It can hit a £1 coin a kilometer away.”
The system’s also relatively thrifty to operate; it only cost $13 dollars to shoot a beam, compared to typical missiles which can be many times that amount.
That’s a huge plus in light of the problems that the US Navy encountered in the Red Sea, where it’s have been contending with attack drones from Houthi rebels in Yemen. In a nutshell, America has spent almost a billion dollars on missiles — up to $2.1 million dollars per launch — to shoot down relatively cheap drones launched by a ragtag army with little resources.
Because of the British laser’s effectiveness, the ministry awarded MDBA a $413.7 million contract to produce and deliver the DragonFire laser for use on Royal Navy ships.
In the past, engineers developed combat lasers to take down flying objects just like drones, but they were unreliable and complex to use. But in recent years, advancements in engineering have made lasers for defense use way more robust and powerful, making them ready for battlefield operations.
And not a moment too soon — the war in Ukraine has revolutionized the use of drones for military use and increased its availability, complicating the defense strategies of many countries since drones are relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain and can be designed for versatile combat operations, from dropping bombs on targets to assassinating individuals.
To neutralize these buzzing machines, soldiers in the field have been using net guns and other tools. But a powerful laser beam could be a game changer.
More on drones: Florida Unleashes Autonomous Police Cruisers That Deploy Thermal Imaging Drones
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