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5mo ago

UK Awards £316 Million DragonFire Laser Contract for Royal Navy Deployment From 2027

Successful Hebrides trials against 650 km/h drones prompted an accelerated rollout, highlighting a £10-per-shot defensive layer.

A DragonFire laser test-fired in the Hebrides Range in Scotland, January 2024
The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract to fit two DragonFire laser directed energy weapons to Royal Navy Type 45 destroyers. (Credit: Dr Lee Willett)
Image of the DragonFire laser system at the MBDA facility in Stevenage, UK. (Image credit: Jack Eckersley/Crown Copyright)

Overview

  • MBDA UK will deliver the Royal Navy’s first operational high‑power laser under a £316 million contract, with QinetiQ and Leonardo as core partners.
  • The first shipboard installation is planned for a Type 45 destroyer in 2027 under a minimum deployable capability, with additional fits committed by government.
  • Recent tests at the MoD Hebrides range tracked, targeted and shot down high‑speed drones in above‑the‑horizon engagements, validating long‑range precision.
  • The MoD positions DragonFire as a complement to missiles, offering shots costing about £10 and magazine depth limited mainly by ship power and cooling.
  • The programme is billed as the first European high‑power laser to enter service, supports roughly 590 UK jobs, and now moves to ship integration and operational evaluation.