The DragonFire laser energy weapon system was first demonstrated in combat by hitting air targets at the training range of the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain. Laser-guided energy weapons can hit targets at the speed of light, using an intense beam of light to cut through the target.

DragonFire combat laser can be installed on various platforms. The laser unit fires with high accuracy, equivalent to shooting a coin from 1km away, and is very cheap to shoot, costing less than £10 per shot.

A laser gun consumes as much energy in 10 seconds as a conventional heater consumes in an hour. Thus, the installation will become a cheap alternative to existing air defense systems.

DragonFire was developed at the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence, in partnership with MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ.

The UK Ministry of Defense said such advanced weapons could revolutionize warfare by reducing dependence on expensive ammunition and reducing the risk of collateral damage. Investments in advanced technology are critical to keeping pace with competitors, helping a country maintain its edge, and ensuring the country’s security.

During the demonstration, the DragonFire laser weapon was able to effectively track fast-moving air and sea targets and hit them with very high accuracy from long range. Source