Scalable laser weapon system brings down UAVs in all weathers, showing promise for military deployment,
Defense systems company MBDA Deutschland has reported successful testing of a new high-energy laser effector – a key element in a laser-based weapons system – at a military training facility on Germany’s North Sea coast.
The company says the tests, which were carried out between October 4th to 14th, “mark the next step in progressing from technology to product”. In this recent series of trials, the system was tested under real environmental conditions for the first time.
The company explained that the laser effector is a weapon that can be integrated into various command & control systems. It uses pre-acquisition data from existing sensors and with such data, the laser effector locks on to a target, tracks it then destroys it. MBDA’s new laser effector features a 360-degree beam guidance system including an illumination laser and tracking system.