A shot with the DragonFire costs only 11 francs: that’s what’s behind the new super laser weapon

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A bright, thin beam penetrates the sky above a remote shooting range on the northwest coast of Scotland. Suddenly the light falls on a flying object. An explosion occurs. New, expensive innovations regularly determine global arms markets. However, in the future, military strategies could be based on the element described: lasers.

In January, the British Ministry of Defense tested for the first time a new laser weapon that the manufacturer says can destroy enemy missiles or fighter jets at a cost of about 11 francs per shot. The DragonFire has succeeded in shooting down an anti-aircraft target from the air, the ministry announced this week. “This is a potential turning point for air defense,” says a video documentation of the test.

According to the ministry, the DragonFire can precisely hit a target the size of a coin “over long distances.” The laser beam can cut through metal with high heat, destroying the enemy object. The exact range of the weapon is still secret.

Laser weapon still in experimental phase

The British Ministry of Defense estimates the price of firing a 10-second laser beam at around $13 (11 francs). By comparison, the standard Missile 2 missile, which the US Navy uses for air defense, costs more than $2 million per shot, according to CNN. “It has the potential to provide a cost-effective long-term alternative to certain tasks currently performed by missiles,” the UK Ministry of Defense statement said.

Although the new technology seems promising, it will take some time before it is put into use. The method needs to be further investigated because, according to experts, there are still several construction sites.

Are lasers mounted on ships?

Rain, fog and smoke reduce visibility and can reduce the weapon’s accuracy. In addition, a fired laser beam releases a lot of heat, which means that sufficient cooling systems are required. Mobile lasers mounted on ships or aircraft need to be charged. In addition, the lasers must remain focused on moving targets for up to ten seconds to burn holes in them.

Conventional British and American air defense systems have proven their reliability, especially in recent conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and the escalation in the Middle East. However, there is a danger that the expensive systems will increasingly be replaced by cheap defense missiles that flood the market. “Low-cost drones and missiles have changed the economic calculus of offense and defense in favor of those who use cheap systems in large quantities,” said James Black, deputy director for defense and security at the think tank RAND Europe, who has reviewed the current situation assesses. . The laser weapon could reverse this imbalance, Zwart continues.

Source: Blick