An array of laser beams for protection
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The U.K. government says it’s developing laser and radio frequency weapons that could “revolutionize the battlefield.”
In a statement Tuesday, the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MOD) said the weapons – dubbed Directed Energy Weapons, or DEW – would be powered by electricity and operated without ammunition. The systems, authorities added, could be fueled by the engine or generator of a vehicle, cutting operating costs in the process.
Laser weapons systems use what the MOD described as “high energy light beams” to target and then destroy drones and missiles. Radio frequency weapons “disrupt and disable” computers and electronics.
The MOD said it wanted to develop three new DEW demonstrators to look into the technology’s potential and “accelerate its introduction onto the battlefield.”
Trials for the new systems are slated to take place in 2023 on Army vehicles and Royal Navy ships. The MOD said…
