British Army tests powerful laser weapon from Wolfhound combat vehicle for the first time

For the first time, scientists and engineers have successfully tested a high-power laser energy weapon from a British Army combat vehicle.

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This groundbreaking test, conducted at the government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory in Porton Down, showed that the laser weapon neutralised targets such as enemy drones at a distance of more than 1 km.

The low-cost, high-energy laser weapon, mounted on the British Army's Wolfhound armoured vehicle, is fully portable and easy to operate. The system can track multiple targets and hit them faster than the speed of light.

The Ministry of Defence developed the laser in collaboration with a consortium of UK suppliers. The next phase of testing will include trials with army personnel later this year to further evaluate the system's capabilities and benefits in real-world scenarios. The laser system works with the command and control system and can be integrated with wider battle management radar and surveillance systems. The weapon can be mounted on a variety of platforms to meet different needs.

"By successfully firing the first laser weapon embedded in a ground vehicle in the UK, Dstl has proven that Raytheon's High Energy Laser Weapon System can track and engage targets from a vehicle. We now look forward to the British Army experimenting with the weapon over the coming months and proving that the technology is battle-ready," said James Gray, Raytheon chief executive officer.

Source: Defence Industry Europe