In a groundbreaking development, British Army scientists and engineers tested a powerful laser weapon mounted on a ground-based combat vehicle.

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In the first test of its kind conducted in the United Kingdom, Raytheon UK, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), and Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) successfully tested Raytheon’s High-Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWS) mounted on a British Army fighting vehicle.

The laser weapon was fitted on a British Army Wolfhound armored vehicle and tested at full power at Dstl’s range in Porton Down. This was a groundbreaking test as the laser weapon successfully neutralized targets at ranges longer than a kilometer.

The trialed laser weapon requires only two personnel to operate and could take less than two weeks to be trained on. The next phase of testing will involve trials with Army personnel later this year, further evaluating the system’s capabilities and benefits in real-world scenarios.

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The device was mounted atop a British Army Wolfhound armored vehicle, a six-wheeled heavy-armored truck that provides increased protection as it supports missions in high-threat areas. “The lightweight, portable high-energy laser system is the first laser weapon integrated on a land vehicle to be fired in the UK,” the British Army said in a statement.

Trials of a new laser fitted to a @BritishArmy Wolfhound have been completed by @dstlmod, @DefenceES and industry partners.

The laser can neutralise targets at distances in excess of 1km for only 10p a shot, less than a cup of tea.

Read more 👇https://t.co/K6VhUJFVhe pic.twitter.com/CRvSAyu8iH

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) July 22, 2024

Evaluating a state-of-the-art laser weapon from an armored vehicle marks a major progress in the British Government’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) Land Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) Demonstrator program.

The laser weapon, created especially to counter hostile drones, is said to be affordable, lightweight, and portable. The HELWS is instrumental for the MOD and the British Army can assess the effectiveness of LDEW systems against changing threats.

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This is particularly important given that the rapid adoption of counter-unmanned aerial system (UAS) technology is crucial due to the increasing frequency, expansion, and evolution of drone warfare.

The manufacturer of the laser weapon, Raytheon, said the goal of this HELWS type is to take down NATO class 1 drones while maintaining easy compatibility with all current air defense systems, such as radar, command and control, and other platforms.

“We have proven that the Raytheon high energy laser weapon system can track and engage targets whilst mounted on a vehicle,” said James Gray, chief executive and managing director of Raytheon UK. “The speed at which this capability was delivered is only possible due to the hard work of our British SME partners, coupled with the operationally proven technology developed by Raytheon.”

High-Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWS) was successfully completed by Raytheon UK and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl): Raytheon Image.

With several systems currently in service, Raytheon’s HELWS is approved for combat with US forces. The system has taken down over 400 targets in over 40,000 testing hours. British Army personnel will be able to acquaint themselves with the system and fine-tune needs for future capability during the next phase of testing for the UK.

Matt Cork, the program lead at the government’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), referred to the test as a “pivotal moment.” It comes at a time when directed energy weapons (DEWs) are becoming popular as a credible and cost-effective defense against cheap and expendable drones that pose a massive threat to security.

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Laser Weapon For The UK Army

Raytheon UK was awarded a demonstrator contract in 2021 to provide the UK Ministry of Defense with a high-energy laser weapon system, or HELWS. The weapon’s rapid integration into the Wolfhound marks the latest achievement of the British Land Demonstrator laser program.

Raytheon UK revealed in September 2023 that the installation of the cutting-edge 15-kW laser weapon onto a Wolfhound armored vehicle was scheduled to be completed by October 2023. This marks the inaugural deployment of state-of-the-art laser weaponry on British Army vehicles.

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HELWS is a modular counter-UAV system that tracks highly agile threats with relative efficiency and accuracy using an electro-optical/infrared sensor. The system is flexible and has been implemented in multiple real-world environments. Its ability to integrate with contemporary air defense systems provides a significant layered defense capability, which is beneficial to the British Army.

The manufacturer previously noted that the high-energy laser weapon system has completed many field tests in harsh weather conditions, such as extreme heat, cold, rain, sleet, and snow.

Last year, the system successfully acquired, tracked, targeted and shot down dozens of drone targets during four days of extensive live-fire drills in the United States. The live-fire drills reportedly included short-range attacks, swarm attacks, and long-range threat scenarios.

Raytheon high-energy laser weapon system

With its ability to deliver multiple projectiles with unparalleled accuracy and minimal collateral damage, the device offers a financially viable substitute for traditional weaponry like expensive Surface-to-Air missile (SAM) systems. Several advanced militaries worldwide, including the United States and Israel, have developed and deployed laser weapons to shoot down UAVs.

The British Army’s advancement and evaluation of the laser weapon are noteworthy, as they come amid a recent surge in small aerial threats such as kamikaze drones and loitering munitions. Furthermore, these technologies have become readily available to both state and non-state actors, a development that has been highlighted as a major concern by the UK and other Western nations.

Due to their ability to quickly heat a drone’s body, lasers help combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This may result in structural failure of the drone, leading to the burning off of one of the wings on a fixed-wing drone.

Dr. Paul Hollinshead, Chief Executive of Dstl, highlighted the significance of this development, stating, “This is another significant milestone in accelerating the adoption of directed energy weapons. Working ever closer with DE&S and industry to develop critical new capabilities, we are preparing the armed forces for the future so they can detect, disable, and destroy future and novel threats.”