Laser shield takes shape

The threat landscape facing modern naval forces has changed rapidly. Cheap, mass-produced uncrewed aerial systems, available in vast numbers and increasingly capable of coordinated attack, have exposed the limitations of conventional air defence. Intercepting a drone costing a few hundred pounds with a missile costing tens of thousands is not a sustainable equation. DragonFire is the UK’s answer to that problem.

Developed through an industry partnership led by MBDA with Leonardo UK and QinetiQ, DragonFire is a Laser Directed Energy Weapon system designed as an integral effector within a layered air defence architecture. The system has entered production and is