British Military Attacks Drones With Huge Laser

"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." 🇬🇧 The UK's DragonFire laser has shot down high-speed drones in new trials, with above-the-horizon tracking and pinpoint accuracy at a kilometre. A £316m contract now pushes the system toward a Type 45 destroyer by 2027. pic.twitter.com/6sjHq1aYzH- UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) November 20, 2025"

"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"

Drones present escalating threats ranging from nuisance disruptions to weaponized kamikaze attacks, driving military interest in anti-drone systems. The UK tested the DragonFire laser in Scotland and demonstrated interceptions of high-speed drones reportedly flying up to 650 km/h. The system showed above-the-horizon tracking and pinpoint accuracy at about one kilometre while being inexpensive to fire, reportedly costing around $13 per shot versus missiles that can cost millions per intercept. MDBA developed the laser and received a major contract to produce and deliver systems for naval deployment, advancing integration onto a Type 45 destroyer by 2027.

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