UK awards Royal Navy with £316 million contract for DragonFire laser Photo

Britain has awarded a £316 million contract to defence firm MBDA to supply its new DragonFire laser weapon systems to the Royal Navy from 2027, following successful trials in which the system shot down high-speed drones.

In testing at the Ministry of Defence’s Hebrides range, the DragonFire system intercepted drones travelling at speeds of up to 650 km/h—twice the top speed of a Formula 1 car. The trials also marked a UK first for above-the-horizon tracking, targeting and destroying aerial threats, Caliber.Az reports via the UK government. 

The Directed Energy Weapon, capable of hitting a £1 coin from a kilometre away, fires at a cost of just £10 per shot, offering a significant cost advantage over traditional missiles that can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds per launch. Under the accelerated programme, DragonFire will be installed on a Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer by 2027—five years earlier than originally planned.

The contract is expected to support 590 jobs across the United Kingdom, including 200 roles in Scotland, 185 in South West England and 75 in the East of England, contributing to the government’s ambition to use defence investment to drive economic growth.

“This high-power laser will see our Royal Navy at the leading edge of innovation in NATO, delivering a cutting-edge capability to help defend the UK and our allies in this new era of threat,” Defence Readiness and Industry Minister Luke Pollard said. 

By Sabina Mammadli