£10-a-shot laser weapon blasts drone out the sky in major military first | 8VFBPRU | 2024-01-23 11:08:01
Overlook Star Wars, laser weapons are here for real after the UK efficiently fired a high-powered beam at aerial targets.
Named DragonFire, the laser prices round £10 per shot. As compared, destroyer missiles can value round £1million every.&
The range of the weapon stays categorised, however the Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a press release that the precision involved within the testing was equivalent to hitting a £1 coin from a kilometre away.
It's a line-of-sight weapon and may 'interact with any seen target'.
In accordance with The Occasions, it destroyed incoming drones from several miles away, and might be ready for use on ships in five years.
Testing of the system, which value £100 million to develop, befell at the Ministry of Defence's Hebrides Range in Scotland.
'These trials have seen us take an enormous step forward in realising the potential alternatives and understanding the threats posed by directed power weapons [DEWs],' stated Dr Paul Hollinshead, chief government of the MoD's defence science and know-how laboratory (DSTL).
'With our many years of data, expertise, and operational expertise, DSTL's expertise is essential to helping the armed forces put together for the longer term.'
Laser weapons emit electromagnetic power at a wavelength that the goal will most effectively take up, inflicting it to soften. The laser-directed power beam can minimize by way of targets to disable them – or do extra injury if hitting a warhead.
DEWs also can interact with targets 'on the velocity of sunshine', and be used to briefly disable enemy attacks by 'dazzling' sensors – or individuals.
Defence secretary Grant Shapps added: 'This kind of cutting-edge weaponry has the potential to revolutionise the battlespace by decreasing the reliance on expensive ammunition, whereas also decreasing the danger of collateral injury.
'Investments with business companions in advanced applied sciences like DragonFire are essential in a highly contested world, helping us keep the battle-winning edge and hold the nation protected.'
The profitable trial of hitting aerial targets follows testing at Porton Down during which a long-range laser was fired at numerous targets over totally different ranges.
Last yr it was additionally introduced that high-energy laser weapons will probably be integrated onto a Wolfhound military vehicle.
An £85 million undertaking to build a laser a 'million billion billion times' brighter than Solar was also unveiled final yr. Nevertheless, theVulcan 20-20 laser can be used to revolutionise scientific research and lead to new discoveries in areas comparable to clean power and cancer remedy, not for combat.
The UK isn't alone in creating directed power weapons – the US and different nations are also creating their own know-how.
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More >> https://ift.tt/fZctLyi Source: MAG NEWS
