Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has awarded a contract to a consortium comprising MBDA Deutschland and Rheinmetall Waffe Munition to develop a high-energy laser weapon system for the German Navy.
The contract, valued in the several-hundred-million-euro range, covers the development of a complete maritime laser weapon system, integrating the full engagement chain from reconnaissance and target detection to tracking and target engagement. The system is scheduled for delivery by 2029.
To support the program, MBDA Deutschland and Rheinmetall will establish a joint venture focused on leveraging German industrial capabilities and strengthening domestic supply chains throughout the development process.
The new laser weapon will complement the German Navy’s existing naval guns and missile systems. It builds on the successful naval laser demonstrator jointly developed by the two companies, which completed over a year of sea trials aboard the frigate Sachsen.
During the evaluation campaign, the demonstrator covered more than 28,000 nautical miles across the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Mediterranean, successfully firing over 1,000 laser shots against airborne, surface, and land-based targets, including under adverse weather conditions.
The trials also validated advanced beam-control and target-tracking technologies, enabling the laser to maintain precise focus on moving targets for faster, more effective engagements while reducing overall power requirements.
