Laser weapons are fictional in the Star Wars movies and the animated G.I Joe. But with maturing technology, the United States and Israel are two countries that have laser weapon systems that can repel missiles and mortars. The United Kingdom became another country that successfully developed a laser weapon system that has a lower operating cost than conventional weapon systems.
The DragonFire laser weapon can shoot a 22mm target accurately from a distance of 1 kilometer. Each “shot” lasts for 10 seconds to destroy the target but only costs £10 (~RM60). It was developed by the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), on behalf of the UK MOD in collaboration with the firms MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ.
The conflicts in Ukraine and the Red Sea show the need for a fast and cheap anti-drone system. In the Red Sea at this time, the American military is using missiles worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to shoot drones that cost thousands of dollars only which is seen as a loss. The UK government has kept DragonFire's true capabilities a secret but will now continue to phase it into use by the Royal Navy and Army for their respective missions.
