The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has announced that the DragonFire laser will be installed on Royal Navy warships for the first time from 2027.
DragonFire is designed to defend against drone and missile threats. Under contract from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, on behalf of the UK MOD, DragonFire has been developed in collaboration with UK industry partners MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ.
The installation date is earlier than previously envisaged due to a new defence procurement model which came into force this month. Laser weapons were originally expected to be rolled out to UK armed forces in 2032. A key part of the new reforms is delivering a minimum deployable capability quickly to personnel and finalising development once in-service, ensuring that personnel can access the tools they need for an evolving threat.
For more information
Image: Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
