First Successful Test of the Spectacular "DragonFire" Laser Cannon

The United Kingdom has just made a significant step forward in military defense with the successful first shot of its "DragonFire" laser cannon against aerial targets, marking a turning point in the modernization of British weaponry.

This directed energy weapon system, developed by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) in partnership with industry companies such as MBDA, Leonardo, and QinetiQ, represents a significant technological advance. With an estimated power of 50 kW, DragonFire offers unmatched precision and efficiency, capable of hitting a coin from about 0.62 miles (1 kilometer) away.


The test, conducted at the Ministry of Defence's Hebrides Range, demonstrated DragonFire's ability to engage aerial targets at relevant distances. The Army and Royal Navy plan to eventually incorporate this technology into their future air defense capabilities.

The DragonFire weapon system is the result of a £100 million investment by the Ministry of Defence and the industry. The Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, highlighted the revolutionary potential of these cutting-edge weapons, which could reduce the reliance on expensive ammunition while minimizing the risk of collateral damage.

One of the major advantages of DragonFire is its extremely low operating cost, less than £10 per shot, comparable to the cost of running a domestic heater for an hour. This economical efficiency makes it a long-term, low-cost alternative to missiles for certain missions.

Recent tests of DragonFire have also demonstrated the system's ability to track aerial and maritime targets moving at a distance with high precision. The Ministry of Defence recently announced its intention to fund a multimillion-pound program to transfer this technology from the research environment to the battlefield.