British Ministry of Defense Fires Laser Weapon from Wolfhound Armored Vehicle

By Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Ministry of Defence and Defence Equipment and Support

• speed of light laser weapon trialled for first time on a British Army vehicle
• lightweight, portable and cost effective
• developed to defeat enemy drones

For the first time scientists and engineers have successfully fired a high powered laser energy weapon from a British Army combat vehicle, according to a British MOD essay

This ground-breaking test, conducted at Dstl’s range in Porton Down, saw the laser weapon neutralise targets at distances in excess of 1km.

The high-energy laser weapon mounted on to a British Army Wolfhound armoured vehicle, represents a major leap forward in the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD’s) Land Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) Demonstrator programme, providing increased operational advantage on the battlefield.  

The lightweight portable high energy laser system is the first laser weapon integrated on a land vehicle to be fired in the UK.  

The advanced capability demonstrator will allow the MOD along with the British Army to understand the utility of LDEW systems against an evolving threat.

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.

The low-cost, high-energy laser weapon, mounted on to a British Army Wolfhound armoured vehicle, is fully portable and easy to operate. The system can track multiple targets and engage at the speed of light.