This British Laser Can Hit a Drone Going 600 Kilometers an Hour

The Royal Navy prepares to field a game-changing laser weapon against drones and missiles.

26 Nov 2025, 13:40 by Tudor Tarita · ZME Science

Credit: UK Ministry of Defence

The Scottish Hebrides Islands are known for their stunning landscapes and rich Gaelic culture. Now, they’re about to be known for something else. A British laser weapon called DragonFire recently shot down drones flying over 600 kilometers per hour.

The tests, carried out by the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (MOD), signaled a shift in how militaries may soon defend themselves. “This high-power laser will see our Royal Navy at the leading edge of innovation in NATO, delivering a cutting-edge capability to help defend the UK and our allies in this new era of threat,” said Luke Pollard, the U.K. Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, in a statement.

The Economics of Fire

Drones have dramatically changed modern warfare. They have turned the battlefield into a lopsided numbers game where cheap, disposable tech can overwhelm sophisticated defenses, forcing navies to burn through multi-million-dollar missiles to swat down threats that cost less than a used car. It’s a financial nightmare for military planners—but the British military might finally have the answer.

Projectiles consume fuel, require storage, and eventually run out. DragonFire, in contrast, runs on electricity. Each shot costs roughly £10 ($13). “The accuracy is razor sharp,” a U.K. Defense Journal video explained. “It can hit a £1 coin a kilometer away.”

As long as a ship’s engines can power the 40-megawatt gas turbines, the DragonFire has “ammunition.” This unlimited magazine depth is a game-changer for destroyers facing swarms of cheap, expendable attack drones.

First Naval Laser

Laser weapons (technically, directed-energy weapons) used to be relegated to sci-fi. However, recent breakthroughs in solid-state lasers, adaptive optics, and power management have made them combat-ready. The DragonFire reportedly operates at around 50 kilowatts, generating enough heat to melt through metal fuselages instantly.

During the Hebrides trials, the system intercepted drones traveling up to 650 km/h (403 mph). This was the first time the UK successfully intercepted high-speed aerial targets above the horizon using a laser—a feat requiring insane precision to keep the beam focused on a moving object.

Impressed by the results, the MOD awarded MBDA UK a £316 million ($413 million) contract to speed things up. They aim to mount the first operational DragonFire on a Type 45 destroyer by 2027, five years ahead of the original schedule. This would make Britain the first European nation to field a naval laser weapon.

A Race Among Allies

Britain isn’t alone in the push for directed energy. The move places the Royal Navy at the forefront of a wider NATO sprint to modernize air defense. In 2024, German defense giant Rheinmetall delivered a naval laser demonstrator to the Bundeswehr, while the U.S. Navy has been testing its Laser Weapon System (LaWS) for over a decade.

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The DragonFire’s development also aligns with broader British experiments in directed energy. The country recently tested a vehicle-mounted radio-frequency weapon designed to disrupt drone swarms and a ground-based high-energy laser dubbed Wolfhound, which showed 100% success in field trials last year. Together, these systems form part of the UK’s effort to build a layered defense against modern aerial threats.

Image of the DragonFire laser system at the MBDA facility in Stevenage, UK. Credit: Jack Eckersley

“DragonFire is delivering the ambition of the Strategic Defence Review,” said Steve Wadey, CEO of QinetiQ, as per The Aviationist. “With industry experts working in collaboration with government to get disruptive, next generation technology into the hands of our warfighters at pace.”

Prevention or Warfare

Long term, you might see these systems guarding airports and sensitive bases. Unlike anti-air guns, lasers don’t rain shrapnel down on the surrounding area, making them much safer for use near civilians.

Engineers still face hurdles, of course. They need to ensure the laser stays locked on target while a ship rolls in heavy seas, resists salt corrosion, and punches through fog or rain. But the Scottish tests suggest these problems are solvable.