The Royal Navy Could Have “DragonFire” Lasers in Service by Next Year

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The DragonFire laser systems are expected to be installed on two Type 45 destroyers by 2027, although their effectiveness under combat conditions is still unclear.

A year ago, the UK’s Ministry of Defence announced that it was committed to accelerating the development and adoption of its DragonFire Laser-Directed Energy Weapons (LDEWs), and the platform could be employed on the Royal Navy’s Type 45 Daring-class destroyers by next year.

The rush to service could see the DragonFire outfitted on the Royal Navy’s small fleet of destroyers years ahead of schedule, likely in order to address the growing threat from drones and other aerial threats—as well as the associated costs of traditional air defense missiles. The laser-based system was funded through the United Kingdom Defence Innovation (UKDI) program, which has also sought to enhance the British military’s drone capabilities while ensuring it can counter unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

Last November, the joint military-industrial partnership MBDA UK, with Leonardo UK, QinetiQ, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), was awarded a £316 million ($414 million) contract for the first two production systems.

“This latest contract for DragonFire is another significant milestone,” said Chris Allam, MBDA UK managing director. “It allows us to continue with the next phase of the program and reaffirms the UK’s intent to be at the forefront of laser-directed energy weapons. The success of recent DragonFire trials are a testament to our MoD and Industry team delivering a truly game-changing weapon system into the hands of the Royal Navy.”

Lasers Are a Low-Cost Solution to Aerial Threats

The 50 kW-class fiber-combined laser can reportedly strike a “coin-sized target” at a distance of up to 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) from a target.

“The system uses a spectral beam-combining architecture that merges multiple glass-fiber laser sources into a single beam with near diffraction-limited quality. A stabilized turret houses the beam director, electro-optical sensors, and a secondary tracking laser for continuous target illumination,” reported Tom’s Hardware.

The DragonFire was designed to use shipboard power and cooling, and can be easily integrated into the Type 45’s existing high-energy systems.

According to the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD), each shot costs just around £10 ($13) in energy consumption. That is far, far less than the Sea Viper Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS), which costs as much as £2 million ($2.64 million) per shot. Whereas the missiles have been touted as able to simultaneously track and destroy multiple aerial threats, including supersonic missiles, the DragonFire can engage multiple targets but will likely need to focus on one at a time to achieve a “kill.”

Moreover, the laser may require upwards of 10 seconds of “dwell” time on each target to cause structural failure, so unless multiple lasers are outfitted, the weapon would be slow to take out multiple threats. That could be a problem, given its current range and the speed of its likely targets.

Still, LDEWs have other advantages. They can be used discreetly, as the radiation may not produce sound and could be invisible if outside the visible spectrum. Another important consideration is that DragonFire will not be affected by gravity, windage, or the Coriolis force, resulting in an almost perfectly flat trajectory.

Lasers Won’t Replace Anti-Air Missiles—but They’ll Reduce the Need for Them

The DragonFire isn’t likely to replace the Sea Viper or other weapons altogether, but serve alongside them as part of a layered defense. The Daring-class Type 45 was enhanced to serve as air defense platforms for the Royal Navy, and the DragonFire will further enhance its capabilities.

“Close-in defenses, naval guns, and electronic warfare systems round out the ship’s protection. The laser will add a new non-kinetic layer to this architecture,” suggested Interesting Engineering. “This integration reduces reliance on finite missile inventories. It also eases logistical burdens tied to ammunition storage and resupply.”

Last year, the DragonFire underwent a series of tests, during which it successfully destroyed 30 drone targets and even conducted high-power firing in the rain.

The Type 45 Destroyer’s Specifications

Year Introduced: 2006

Displacement: 7,500 tonnes

Length: 152.4 m (500 ft)

Beam: 21.2 m (69 ft 7 in)

Propulsion: Two Rolls-Royce WR-21 gas turbines

Speed: 32 knots (36.8 mph, 59.2 km/h)

Range: 7,000 nmi (8,055 mi, 12,964 km)

Armament: “Sea Viper” Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS): One 48-cell Sylver A50 Vertical Launching System (VLS), equipped for Aster 15 short-range missiles Aster 30 medium-range missiles Two Mk. 141 quad missile launcher for up to 8 x RGM-84 Harpoon SSM One BAE Mark 8 Mod.1 gun Two DS30B Mk 1 30mm machine guns Two M134 six-barreled machine guns (minigun) Two Mk 15 Phalanx Close-in Weapons Systems (CIWS)

“Sea Viper” Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS):

One 48-cell Sylver A50 Vertical Launching System (VLS), equipped for Aster 15 short-range missiles Aster 30 medium-range missiles

Aster 15 short-range missiles

Aster 30 medium-range missiles

Two Mk. 141 quad missile launcher for up to 8 x RGM-84 Harpoon SSM

One BAE Mark 8 Mod.1 gun

Two DS30B Mk 1 30mm machine guns

Two M134 six-barreled machine guns (minigun)

Two Mk 15 Phalanx Close-in Weapons Systems (CIWS)

Crew: 191, accommodating up to 285

Is the Royal Navy Being Daring?

The biggest question is how the system can be quickly deployed aboard the Royal Navy’s six Type 45 Daring-class destroyers. The lead vessel, HMS Daring, has been sidelined for nearly eight years, undergoing a major refit, and the UK’s senior service is already spread thin with existing obligations; sending the vessels back to port for another lengthy upgrade would further impact its capabilities.

Initially, just two of the warships are slated to receive the upgrades. But if this system is successful, it could be another layer in the Royal Navy’s aerial defenses.

The UK is on track to be the first NATO member nation in Europe to deploy a laser weapon on an active combat platform. There has also been speculation that the British government would deliver a DragonFire to Ukraine for testing in actual combat operations to counter Russian drones, yet the delivery never occurred.

There has been speculation that the UK feared the system wasn’t ready for field testing, but perhaps there are concerns Russia might learn too much about DragonFire’s capabilities or even find a way to counter it. For now, the Royal Navy will remain the sole operator of the DragonFire. 

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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