The United Kingdom intends to equip its Type 45 destroyers with the DragonFire high-energy laser weapon system by 2027, positioning itself as the first European nation to deploy a shipborne combat laser in operational service. The decision marks a significant evolution in NATO maritime defence, reducing engagement costs and transforming how naval forces counter drones and incoming missiles.
The Royal Navy is preparing for what officials describe as a major step forward in layered air defence as DragonFire progresses toward integration over the next three years. Initial testing has demonstrated the system’s ability to track and destroy small targets at tactically meaningful distances, with installation expected to accelerate once onboard power and cooling upgrades are complete. If delivered on schedule, the UK will lead Europe in fielding a high-power laser capability at sea—an advancement senior officers say is driven by the need to address expanding low-cost aerial threats.
Developed by MBDA UK, working with QinetiQ and Leonardo, DragonFire is designed as an operational weapon rather than an experimentation platform. Capable against drones, loitering munitions, fast-attack craft, and potentially missiles, it promises to reshape naval responses to massed attacks and swarming systems.
The system’s core is a 50-kW-class short-wave infrared laser, generated through coherent beam-combining that merges output from multiple fibre-laser modules into one high-precision beam. This configuration delivers high power density and exceptional beam quality, ensuring accurate energy application at long range.
