Britain intends to install its DragonFire laser weapon on Type 45 destroyers by 2027, making the Royal Navy Europe’s first force to field a combat-ready shipborne laser. Defense leaders say the system’s live-fire trials demonstrated the ability to track and burn through representative targets, and integration is expected to accelerate once shipboard power and cooling upgrades are complete. The capability aims to reduce reliance on expensive missiles for counter-UAV and close-in defense missions. DragonFire, developed jointly by MBDA UK, QinetiQ, and Leonardo, features a 50-kW-class short-wave infrared laser produced through beam-combining of multiple fiber sources. This approach generates a tightly focused, high-density beam, enabling precise engagement of drones, loitering munitions, small boats, and potentially incoming missiles. The system is expected to redefine naval air defense economics by providing a virtually cost-free shot once powered.
