DragonFire Latest

[Foxbat]

Here's an article giving the details on DragonFire - the UK's LDEW (Laser Directed Energy Weapon). The Americans are ahead of us in development but Dragonfire is 100% British (and has a cool name). It has been successful in tests so far and the article explains to us ordinary folk just how it works. Right now, the ships in the red sea are using missiles costing a few million dollars each to shoot down drones built for a few thousand. DragonFire would provide a cheap alternative (tens of dollars). Money's tight everywhere so a LDEW alternative to all those expensive missiles would be most welcome to the bean counters I'd imagine.

And if we ever enter the energy weapon age, maybe we should name one of our ships The Millenium Falcon

DragonFire – pathway to a Laser Directed Energy Weapon for the Royal Navy? | Navy Lookout

www.navylookout.com

 

[Foxbat]

An update on DragonFire. Four UK ships are to be fitted with this system by 2027.
Although the ships have not been identified, given their focus on anti-air capability, my guess is that it will be four Type 45 Destroyers.

This is a game changer. DragonFire is touted to be able to hit a one pound coin at a range of 1km. It has been tested against drones at 5km. Drones are a very real threat because they can be mass produced are relatively inexpensive and it’s feasible that a swarm might overwhelm a ship. Ships can only carry a limited number of expensive missiles and once they are gone, drones could penetrate the remaining defences,

DragonFire provides an inexpensive solution and, as long as the ship has power, an inexhaustible supply of laser power to take out the threat. Each shot comes in at under £10 so will provide a much better solution than using a £1 million missile to take out a much cheaper drone.

The future is hot. The future is filled with DragonFire

Britain to fit laser weapons on four warships by 2027

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed an additional £2.2 billion in defence funding for the next financial year, describing the measure as a “downpayment” on the Government’s plan to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk