DragonFire: Royal Navy warships to be fitted with laser weapon in 2027

The Royal Navy's fleet is set to come fitted with a powerful new laser weapons system designed to take out drones.
DragonFire, which can shoot down drones and missiles and even defeat enemy sensors, is set to enter service in three years' time.
No longer the stuff of sci-fi, the directed energy systems will soon be a familiar sight on Royal Navy ships after the Ministry of Defence announced it is accelerating its £100m laser weapons programme to introduce them to the frontline in 2027 - five years ahead of schedule.
More: www.forces.net/services/navy/...
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[@Twilleh]

The Automaton menace must be stopped. Looking forward to this new strategem

[@foxquetzal420]

Allied destroyer has joined the squadron...

[@thetimelapsesketchbook.9088]

For Freedom, Liberty and Royal Navy!

[@paultea2]

It's nothing new they've had them for years

[@Dr4g0n247]

DEMOCRACY!

[@martinpearce4604]

This is just what the uk needs with the threat today, brilliant work.

[@user-bg7yb5nl6y]

😂😂delusional

[@masterbeethoven8209]

@@user-bg7yb5nl6y Would you care to expand on your comment Ivan, or is your English not that good?

[@jackduddle9449]

​@@user-bg7yb5nl6yin what way is it delusion

[@LeonDegrelle.z]

​@@user-bg7yb5nl6y delusional is Putlers new hairplug treatments

[@redaerf2b414]

@@masterbeethoven8209 Ships are sturdy enough so they are not attacked by flying drones. Against russian fleet only boat-size unmanned drones are used. Lazer wouldn't do much damage to half-submerged target.

[@skitsnack1]

Now just hang mirrors on the drones as UNO reverse cards

[@helderalmeida3417]

The mirror won't stop because the laser is very hot and once it hit a mirror it will melt it.

[@JusticeAlways]

Tested already...

[@909happydude]

Troll science....

[@hannoverjung6022]

@@helderalmeida3417 I would argue that it heavily depends on the characteristics of the materials the mirror is made from. The laser light itself is not hot, but some materials convert the incoming laser photons into heat, while others may reflect it.

[@michaelparks7177]

Star Wars just landed… :-)

[@barrymcmanmon9595]

Needed sooner.

[@Cookies2132]

Where do you think the ideas for Star Wars came from? 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@aliensstolemybeer5362]

Star wars has been in space for many years, this isn't anything new.

[@mrnotsocelever]

I think these are the first iterations of the laser weapons. The technology is shifting.

[@PoliceBodycamVideos]

America have had it and israel but not as good.

[@JuniorJuni070]

@@PoliceBodycamVideos the united states made a couple in the cold war right ? a huge plane with a lens

[@PoliceBodycamVideos]

@@JuniorJuni070 dont think its even been put into service, soviet union used to have a tank with like 20 lasers like this on it.

[@LeonDegrelle.z]

​@@PoliceBodycamVideos does that tank float komrade 😂😂

[@gregeva1276]

Now the mighty Russians have the turtle 😂

[@surfcitiz]

I imagine an array of more powerful version of such systems powered by mini nuclear generators installed in regular intervals along the UK coastlines.

[@ruebencover5795]

Nice one UK 👍

[@person8203]

Definitely has the best name of the different countries laser weapons

[@lukedogwalker]

HMS Dragon has entered the chat.

[@cluckingbells]

Very good. The increase in the defence science and technology budget is certainly bearing fruit, but it needs to be doubled again. Technology wins wars !

[@Makeyourselfbig]

Actually it doesn't. Did America win in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan? Yet they were streets ahead in technological warfare. What wins wars are weight of numbers, attrition, a willingness to make sacrifices in living standards, a willingness to accept casualties, including justifying the deaths of civilians and finally proper leaders. The west has shown we are unwilling to accept even small losses. So we fight through bombing, drones, missiles. Video game wars. But no boots on the ground. Can't risk any soldiers getting hurt or killed. We will not accept the deaths of civilians, especially children. As shown by the recent demands for a ceasefire in Gaza. We will most definately not accept a lowering of our living standards to pay for wars. Finally the likes of Sunak are not, and never will be war leaders.

[@JBoy340a]

I wonder how they can shoot down a shell in flight? It is rotating so the energy is dissipated across the case.

[@cluckingbells]

@@Makeyourselfbig I wasn't talking about insurgent type warfare that the Malayan emergency, Vietnam and Afghanistan were. Where the opponents were scared of mustering and fielding their own forces because they would have been defeated like in the first Gulf War (due to technology advantage) . But hasn't that all been said before, that 'War is unthinkable'. That's usually said by those who bemoan preparing for one and who then go very quiet when they have left us defenceless and war has been forced on us. I agree with your last sentence because it is the next 5,10 or even 20 years that I see the world experiencing the greatest instability of my lifetime.

[@latch9781]

@@JBoy340a It almost certainly can't, the amount of power to do that would be too great for any current or near-future British warship outside of draining a QE

[@latch9781]

@@Makeyourselfbig What caused draws and losses in those conflicts was politics, not technology. Korea, Vietnam and Iraq showed the effect technology has on the battlefield, with Ukraine being a further example. While quantity does have a quality of it's own, it also has a monstrously increased logistics cost, whereas quality lets you cripple then defeat an enemy force. It's not as simple as more money=success, but adopting an indifference to casualties is not the path to victory either, let alone when it comes to civilians

[@Mohul06]

When are we getting the Death Star, MoD?

[@spacetime3]

I can really see great use on modern Navy ships that would scale so well with different-sized ships as well as long-range shots from our planes.

[@scottrowlands874]

Well done 👍👍👍👍

[@waynester71]

Pew pew… light sabres next!

[@LeonDegrelle.z]

officaly they published 1k plus distance on the ground unit , so 3 "yrs time it's got to be 5k 😮

[@williamlloyd3769]

Incredible improvements

[@jacekboczarski6698]

Bravo UK !!!

[@jameskirk6095]

Awesome job

[@Terrr05]

Unlimited ammo, yes, but surely the power drain is significant enough that these have a maximum up/firing time before needing to be recharged, whether that be batteries or capacitors or whatever. What kind of up time and down time are we expecting? Regarding range and efficacy, how well do these function in adverse weather? And at what kind of range are these expected to be functional? And can you tell us about how effective they are at tracking small, fast-moving objects at range? I want these to be effective but this video tells us very little.

[@BMurphy]

Amazing guys!!

[@daviecrocket9160]

Excellent

[@joelrunyan1608]

Frikin lazer beams

[@Terracecasualx5]

In sharks

[@anonemass8247]

No Austin doesn't take a genius to work out its one directional fault, leading up to every other angle fault to attack

[@douglaswulff6441]

Did you say that 1950's Sci-fi was cheezy?

[@geraint8989]

Will the Royal Navy eventually have one of these systems installed on both of its ships?

[@cjjk9142]

2027

[@alanparkinson549]

You never know, by 2027 our two ships may be sufficiently developed and repaired to both be at sea at the same time.

[@FaceFcuk]

They already have

[@radu19d]

“In 2027… 5 years ahead of schedule” … bro, the drone threat is now.

[@marylebone9357]

And the UK already has the most capable anti air destroyers in the world bar a couple of prototype ships from US projects never pushed into full production. The British play an important role in NATO naval operations by providing the best anti air protection a fleet can get. This is not a result of decisions made yesterday but a long term strategy that started at the end of the Falklands conflict and only after many years and many cancelled projects, ended up placing the UK where it is today. It is in the best interest of the UK not to rush these projects into service to make everything the best it can be tomorrow, but to evaluate and plan for the future in order to maintain the position it holds.

[@MH5XXXX]

that is an amazing weapon.

[@380Scania]

Nice be even more effective if more than one on a single platform that can engage several threats at the same simultaneously.

[@HeinrichVenter88]

Point defense batteries for swarm attacks

[@GermanGreetings]

I thought the same...

[@NOT.MI5.MI6.]

plus unlimited number of amo !! so power wize only source needed , if that system as you said was X 4 or 5 for backup nothing could gets threw from multiple directions

[@user-gm6lc7py5x]

🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💯 Good stuff 👍🏻

[@NOT.MI5.MI6.]

Northern skirt wearer 😆 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@user-gm6lc7py5x]

​​@@NOT.MI5.MI6.Southern ponce ! 😂

[@JRae19]

Now now children, play nice 😂 👍 🇬🇧

[@user-gm6lc7py5x]

@@JRae19 🤣🤣

[@McFaddenWasRight]

Remember, this is only what the system is allowing the public to know. Imagine what isn't permitted for the public to know.

[@Mad_Dark_Spirit]

Im interested in what countermeasures will be developed for this now, very nice system though

[@LieMac]

Wow! This technology must have existed since 2004

[@mikebeatstsb7030]

Wow! 😲 I want one

[@LeonDegrelle.z]

I'll have a blue Lazer what colour is your choice 😅

[@Garnovich]

I want two!

[@Astrojamus]

the us federal agents claimed to be hit with directed energy beams by spies after investigating Russia watching this video right now be like ....

[@jamesruggeri2695]

just need to combine it with a large drone with a focal lens then you can hit over-the-horizon targets or alter attack vectors

[@XAirForce]

Now make some electric drones that can also use that laser to extend their range out. You pulse the light collector that they have on them. I know you don’t have the correct center yet you have to go make it. : ) Then you’ll be able to fly airborne and see going drones and pulse them to keep them powered. Think about also heating up your own rounds right before they hit a target. Think about how the laser can be used in conjunction with standard weapons to make them more effective.. that would include punching a hole in the side of our ship

[@TimoSea97]

Weapon with great potential and, on the long term, with lower costs. Unfortunately no critical questions were asked about performance in different weather and envitonmental circumstances like rain, high humidy, fog etc. Also curious about possible coatings that can counter the laser beam. Will follow this innovation closely though!

[@NOT.MI5.MI6.]

funny Taiwan officially unveiled a simler system a week ago 😂 saying help from special friends 🤔

[@alunreynolds9646]

What?! All three of them??

[@nikkidarkangelpnope8400]

That star wars defense system is getting closer day by day.

[@ABCDEFG12468]

You People... Are so Fantastic.

[@beetrooot1137]

Impressive

[@markgriffiths409]

Does it work in the rain / cloud?…

[@glynnwadeson5605]

I wonder how long it takes to burn through those metals to achieve destructive effect, and at what range it begins to be destructive?

[@chullychullster3077]

I want to know one thing; was that shell in flight when it was hit? or was it just to demonstrate it can penetrate it? If it was an incoming test round, then just WOW!

[@xXBisquitsXx]

at 1.35 it shows them shooting a artillery shell that is static so my assumption is that it was for demonstration purposes to prove that the laser is powerful enough to do it in theory. No idea how long it took to neutralise the shell or how good the tracking is for the laser since it needs to target the same spot consistently in order to impart enough energy to do anything. Range is also important as for example if it requires 5 seconds to burn through the outer shell but the range is short so it doesn't get that much time to intercept before the shell lands. On top of the fact that its relatively easy to fire many shells and have them land within seconds of each other. Similar problem with missiles although they tend to travel slower but can be less predictable as they are not ballistic like an artillery shell.

[@niallmurphy7703]

Just wait till the energy price hike in autumn and I'm sure this will be £40 a shot 😂

[@CheeHoewCheng]

The first ship to be installed with the laser weapon: HMS Thunderchild.

[@TB-zf7we]

Most of those tests were static. How long does the laser take for the same kills, when the small target is moving fast and all sorts of atmospherics in between?

[@seasuper3402]

Depends on weather but it's easy to aim since you don't have to account for trajectory when firing

[@kieran8564]

It's going to have to be a lot more power because even the ones the usa have ain't strong enough yet no point adding them to ships if they can't destroy things quick enough

[@redaerf2b414]

Just pray that weather wouldn't be rainy...

[@LeonDegrelle.z]

you have a constipated log 😮

[@whya2ndaccount]

Now time for the lawyers to catch up. Previously this was avoided in the land environment due to potential blinding of enemy AFV crews, etc. as well as power constraints (a ship is big enough for these platforms). The PLA notably does not follow these conventions and has several "dazzle" systems to fire a laser back down the bearing from a laser range finder which is then magnified by the target vehicle's optics and blinds the gunner.

[@davesharpe3877]

The Force is strong in DSTL, its here, Sci-fi just got real......

[@seanelstob5922]

Hmm. Problem is, the ‘other side’ can get and use the same weapon. Just target the enemy’s Dragon fire for example or burn a hole in the side of a ship. Is the defence against this weapon a big mirror?

[@kirkwhitfield5257]

I think in years to come they will develop a lazer up in space that can target a person or structure on the ground

[@owenstunes5804]

All you need is a mirror on the drone to reflect the laser back on to the ship

[@johnnunn8688]

Why not site the weapon on the rear ramp of A400, that can carry a lot of weight?

[@kickboxer8173]

2027 that is the most ridiculous number

[@DIYToPen]

Next up, laser meshes 🤙

[@andyhurrell]

I imagine, that like most weapons, DragonFire probably won't function after it's been damaged by the enemy, so only having one unit on a ship might be overly optimistic. How robust are these things?

[@regarded9702]

I'd be more concerned about the radar as a single point of failure for modern warships. I know most of ours have two but I'm pretty sure they do different jobs.

[@rammen4]

That's the same with most weapons. It's made so the ship doesn't get hit

[@7stormy334]

On the other hand it's quite small and as regarded pointed out the radar is more important. No radar = no targeting for any weapons on the ship (at least easily).

[@Jake-yy9fg]

I think between the sea viper missiles, the automatic gatling guns and this lazer, it's pretty much impossible to hit the ship without having an extremely large and modern navy.

[@latch9781]

@@regarded9702 By the looks of it it's intended to locate the target with radar then use optical tracking, same as your average laser guidance system

[@beetrooot1137]

Dragon fire most advanced in world

[@gogrape9716]

Has the RN fixed its Trident debacle ???

[@LeeTillbury]

Would be handy for all them pesky seagulls.

[@LeonDegrelle.z]

They already discovered a tech years ago from pure accident they were using wave technology to try out a radar system and in front of the transmitter birds keept falling out of the sky cooked 😂 cannot remember what but definitely remember reading the story about it somewhere b4

[@LeonDegrelle.z]

😊 brilliant news I have seen them on the USA fleet also

[@thetruthhurts7675]

Really? USS Preble DDG 88, is the only US ship to have lasers at this time!

[@LeonDegrelle.z]

@@thetruthhurts7675in public domain of information komrade don't forget all western media is propaganda 😉😆

[@thetruthhurts7675]

@@cjjk9142 No they don't have an unlimited budget. For a very simplistic example the USA cannot afford to train it's marine corps to the same standard as the Royal Marines. They don't have everything first either, another example : the first successful test of a Hypersonic missile was by the UK, (by that I mean it hit it's designated target, way back the same years as the QE carrier was launched two years later the USA was boasting about it's "New" hypersonic missile. No they don't they didn't invent Chobham armour the best in the world for tanks. No they don't they aren't at the forefront of railgun technology that would be the UK.

[@bmelo909]

@@thetruthhurts7675there are a few ships that have them . I believe the destroyer has the Odin laser system and a LHD type ship has a laser installed

[@SchindleList]

I wonder which ship will get it

[@johnnunn8688]

How does it do when it’s raining, (or salt spray) when the seeker has raindrops on the lens and the laser is scattered by water droplets?

[@hippopotamus86]

In before the comments saying "Just put mirrors on the drone". Which obviously wouldn't work.

[@LeonDegrelle.z]

won't I looked it up ages ago 😊

[@matthewbaynham6286]

Why won't it work?

[@niallrussell7184]

reflective paint?

[@LeonDegrelle.z]

​​​​@@matthewbaynham6286 loads of reasons but here's just a quick , 1 what happens if you hold a lighter under a mirror ? for a while it gets hot and burns the reflected paint off the back doesn't it , so lazers do exactly the same thing in layman's

[@matthewbaynham6286]

@@LeonDegrelle.z when you hold a lighter under a mirror the heat comes from the lighter fuel burning, it has nothing to do with light hitting the mirror. A lazer will get reflected just like any other type of light. Light is energy and if it's being reflected then that energy is not going to turn into heat energy on the drone. So the drone will be fine.

[@pgs1796]

It cannot happen soon enough. The economics of using million pound missiles to destroy relatively cheap (albeit destructive) drones is not doable in the long term. The potential of systems like DragonFire or future iterations of the same are enormous. I very much hope it can be deployed operationally (while appreciating the technological challenges in making that so).

[@rickenbacker472]

Looks cool but so many problems with this tech limit its usecases. Doesn't work well in bad weather. Limited range. Slow to damage incoming targets (so useless against incoming 500mph cruise missiles/glidebombs). What happens when the battery runs out? Where is it recharged? How many targets can it take down before running out of power? Why it everyone comparing it to seaviper which has a 250 mile range? Compare it to phalanx stats instead. A neat addition to the toolbox with some very specific usecases, but "gamechanger"? Not sure about that.

[@seasuper3402]

Bad weather: drones and most aircraft cannot function in bad weather Limited range: 1km is fine for a close range defence system Slow to damage targets: fighting drones, mortars or small boats it's fine (SAMs are used to fight missiles) Power: It uses a generator

[@rickenbacker472]

Incoming 500mph cruise missile can cover 1km in 4.5 secs. Chances of this lazer taking one down are zero. What kind of drones and aircraft can't fly in bad weather? These lazers can't even operate in heavy rain or fog.

[@trs4u]

Aren't 'ears' or similar needed to find incoming / passing drones? How are they being detected at the moment - I mean when they're not strapped to a test stand or on a prescribed test path? I imagine once a target is illuminated it becomes much easier to 'see'?

[@seasuper3402]

Radar

[@bluedwarf8858]

Just waiting for the day they invent the lightsaber

[@LondonarabS]

But are we not copying the Chinese ? They have it in service already.

[@proactive_studio]

Mark my words… we are incapable of meeting deadlines. It won’t be ready for 2027

[@stoia3218]

Does it work in rain and fog.

[@n3xu59988]

Can't we just put a retractable mirror to deflect the laser if it senses heat?

[@drdeadred851]

It would easier to just paint the exterior in some reflective substance(dont imagine it would totally negate it, probably just make it take a bit longer), a retractable mirror sounds like it would massivly inflate the cost of the sort of mini cheap commercial drones that this meant to work against.

[@seasuper3402]

Mirrors are only 99% effective and have a significantly lower melting point Paint is even less effective with a low melting point

[@AtroposLeshesis]

What about overheating its own self. What, you get one cycle then a 20 minute cool down?

[@DigitalKnight]

What happens if you add a glass texture to your drones? Does that simply reflect the laser?

[@JasonTheOneAndOnly]

A.i, now Lasers, I really hope terminator isn't the new Simpsons lol

[@northstar6920]

lab tests and field tests are two *VERY* different things.

[@sandemike]

Not that new Goldfinger had one.

[@dodgyscript8006]

You have to give the brits credit... Iam irish thanks for covering irish airspace you should petrol the Atlantic for us too 😆

[@BingleFlimp]

What were the ranges of the targets?

[@NOT.MI5.MI6.]

20 k 😊

[@allawaynick]

I've probably got the physics wrong here but what if the targets were coated with a reflective surface? Would that hinder the beams effectiveness in any way?

[@seasuper3402]

Only slightly and the paint would be melted almost instantly

[@bobbyman3211]

What if they cover the drones in mirrors?

[@peterharrington8709]

Yes but they already HAVE a reliable CIWS!? Are they going to rely on this new tech when IRL they choose to take down drones at long range with missiles regardless of that fact?

[@peternicholson83]

Trying to work out how they are going to keep,the lens free of water and dust.

[@sentheaS]

Lens cap

[@limitlessLtd]

People were worried about saturation attacks with drones vs 32 VLS systems, this is the answer.

[@paulcadden4967]

Not if it takes 5-10 seconds on target to take down a light weight cased, slow mover as its only capable of at mo. By time you've taken down the first target, ships been hit by the rest. Techs just not fast enough, good enough range or weather capable yet to be of any use

[@limitlessLtd]

@@paulcadden4967 Slow movers would make it 100 meters in 5 seconds and this has several kilometers of range plus there will be more than one on each ship exactly like there is with CIWS systems.

[@goldilafamilia]

Alter das Ding ist perfekt zur Abwehr von diesen hyper Sonic misiles die einige Armeen mittlerweile haben That thing IS probably to effectively counter those hyper Sonic misiles a few armys around the world have now a days

[@ph11p3540]

So when are we going to get dragons themselves?

[@mikebeatstsb7030]

I wonder what it does to a body...?

[@Johnson13210]

Seems more like a defensive weapon to protect the ship. Not offensive or having long range beyond the horizon capabilities? I could see the possibility of such a weapon making a ship untouchable...above the waterline that is!

[@Ianmundo]

“Fitted for but not with” more like it

[@craiglee3253]

Effectiveness in clouds, rain, snow, smoke?

[@ashleybevis9769]

I fink sooo if you no

[@RaduB.]

My thought exactly.

[@drdeadred851]

What weapon works in all conditions perfectly against all targets? Just because it has potential downsides doesn't mean it doesn't still have immense utility.

[@CJM527]

@@drdeadred851It’s a very valid question

[@lonpfrb]

Just because the manufacturers illustration is a red beam doesn't mean that it is only optical. Lasers are possible at many wavelengths some not visible to the eye.. Undoubtedly the testing will have included all atmospheric conditions.

[@keithdurose7057]

Is this energy source available for municipalities to provide power for civilian consumers?

[@truckjones3798]

As you probably know, it’s not an energy source but an energy consumer. Nothing shocking. If I’m correct, the power rating is 50 kW. That’s the output of a moderately powered car engine.

[@parham1023]

Next thing you know they invent a death star or an ION CANNON. XD

[@XTSu-sl1bb]

Let’s hope it’s not cloudy 😂

[@seasuper3402]

Tbf the majority of weapons this would deal with can't deal with bad weather either

[@jonnyh9388]

Makes little difference.

[@XTSu-sl1bb]

The atmosphere makes a lot of difference

[@stephenpeat3885]

We need a 150 watt laser that can destroy fast antiship missles and the system can be mount on type 26,45,31,32 and the carriers.

[@Dr.Ian-Plect]

150w? A few lightbulbs?

[@LeonDegrelle.z]

lazers travel a 299,792,458 meters per second komrade , you say fire 🔥 on a RU ship , the lazers will hit mis*** b4 the end of fire 🔥 😂😂😂

[@lonpfrb]

@@Dr.Ian-Plect Kilowatt not Watt so a typo probably.

[@ieatwater325]

what of the pilot of the attacked jet just do sprirals? (the laser has no point to concentrate his power on)

[@gmdhargreaves]

How many can they shoot down at the same time, how accurate at hypersonic missiles can they operate in all weather conditions? These will not work

[@Blazeww]

So. The National Intrest. I found this on... In the title... 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂.... That's a railgun firing a piece of metal at hypersonic speed. Not a lightspeed laser.

[@CamperoftheCentury]

What happens if you target a mirror?

[@TheBodshaw]

Genuine question. How does it perform in cloud or fog?

[@normie2165]

They have reduced performance depending on how dense fog/rain is.