DragonFire laser: A low-cost alternative to missiles

For the first time, the United Kingdom successfully launched a high-power laser weapon at an airborne target during an experiment.
The demonstration is expected to open the way for a low-cost alternative to missiles for shooting down objects such as drones.
According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the DragonFire weapon is accurate enough to hit a £1 coin from a kilometer distant. It hailed the test, conducted at its Hebrides Range in Scotland, as a "major step" toward putting the technology into service.
According to Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, the device might minimize "the reliance on expensive ammunition, while also lowering the risk of collateral damage".
According to the Ministry of Defence, both the Army and the Royal Navy are contemplating incorporating the technology into their future air defence capabilities. While laser weapons may sound like science fiction, the US Navy has already placed them on numerous destroyers.

During the ongoing war with the Houthis in the Red Sea, missiles rather than lasers are being employed to shoot down drones.
Missiles can be significantly more expensive than the drones they destroy, costing millions of pounds rather than thousands.

According to the Ministry of Defence, using the DragonFire system for 10 seconds costs the same as using a normal heater for an hour, with operational costs often less than £10 per shot.
Laser-directed energy weapons (LDEWs) employ a powerful laser beam to penetrate their target and hit at the speed of light. The DragonFire system's range is secret, however it is a line-of-sight weapon capable of attacking any visible target within range.

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), in collaboration with select industrial partners, is developing it on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. Dr Paul Hollinshead, chief executive of Dstl, said: "These trials have seen us take a huge step forward in realising the potential opportunities and understanding the threats posed by directed energy weapons."
The DragonFire armament system is the outcome of a combined £100 million investment by the Ministry of Defence and industry.
The development of laser weaponry coincides with the growing usage of drones in combat, as witnessed during the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, with Russia suspected to be utilizing Iranian-made "kamikaze" drones to strike Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine, which also employs some "kamikaze" drones, has established its own "army of drones," which has seen the employment of hobby drones for military operations.