UK Drones. The Parrot Anafi UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) UAV or drone is flown by a soldier as the British Army demonstrate the latest and future technology used on operations across the globe on Salisbury plain training area on October 29, 2019 in Salisbury, England. On December 11, 2024, the UK Ministry of Defense announced a new anti-drone laser. Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images
The United Kingdom, an ally of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), announced this week that its new anti-drone laser passed a key test.
The Anti-Drone Laser
In a statement obtained by Newsweek, the U.K. Ministry of Defense (MOD) announced on Tuesday that the British Army had successfully fired a "high-energy laser weapon" from "an armored vehicle for the first time."
The statement noted that the laser "successfully destroyed flying drones" and called the demonstration a show of "game-changing warfare technology."
"It works by directing an intense beam of infra-red light in the form of energy towards its target using advanced sensors and tracking systems which maintain lock-on and accuracy in real time. Unlike conventional munitions, laser weapons are virtually limitless in terms of ammunition supply, which means they could represent a cost-effective alternative to some current in-service weapons," the U.K.'s MOD said. "The laser was integrated onto a Wolfhound-a protected troop-carrying vehicle-where soldiers from 16 Royal Artillery were able to track and down hovering targets at Radnor Range in mid-Wales."
Warrant Officer Matthew Anderson, who serves as the trials leader for the British Army's Mounted Close Combat Trials and Development Group, commented on the successful test, saying that "every engagement we've done has removed a drone from the sky. While we've been testing a variety of distances, speeds and altitudes, one thing has remained-how quick a drone can be taken out."
"It's definitely a capability that could be added to the arsenal of weapons that we use on the battlefield," Anderson added.
Stephen Waller, the Defense Ministry's Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) leader, said: "This is still an emerging technology, but the world has changed and we are seeing more use of drones in the battlespace. This requires a more cost-effective solution to protect our troops."
"Having the capability to track and eliminate moving drones will give UK troops a better operational advantage and these successful trials have demonstrated that we are well on our way to achieving this," Waller added.
In October, the UK government announced that it had developed a "laser with pinpoint accuracy" to combat drones.
The laser took out "a range of infrared heat-seeking missiles being fired simultaneously" during a live-fire trial in northern Sweden, the British Defense Ministry said in a statement in October.
In July, South Korea made a similar announcement, saying that the country is ready to start mass-producing a laser weapon that can shoot down drones at a fraction of the cost of conventional defense platforms.
The drone-killing system, called the Block-I, marks the beginning of Seoul's "Star Wars" project to weaponize lasers, according to a statement in July from the country's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), which handles defense procurement, development and production.
An even more powerful version is being planned, which the agency predicted could be a "game changer" in the future.
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This story was originally published December 10, 2024, 7:02 PM.