A NEW British laser gun dubbed the “DragonFire” may very well be rushed onto the frontline in Ukraine to provide Kyiv an edge within the warfare of the drones.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps steered the Star Wars-style weapon may very well be used to blast Russian UAVs out the sky on the pace of sunshine far ahead of anticipated.
The DragonFire is anticipated to be prepared for deployment by 2027 on the newest and will have “large ramifications” for the battle in Europe, Shapps mentioned.
The Ministry of Defence lately created new reforms to hurry up the laser’s procurement by 5 years – slashing its unique operational date of 2032.
Nonetheless, Shapps hinted on Thursday that they may find yourself in Ukraine’s arms even sooner – earlier than they’re “100 per cent good”.
The DragonFire is a cutting-edge laser-directed vitality weapon (LDEW), which makes use of an intense mild beam to chop by means of their goal and might strike on the pace of sunshine.
It’s designed to shoot down assault drones, missiles, planes and even satellites with its 50kW beam and might hit targets the dimensions of a £1 coin.
The vary of DragonFire is assessed, however the MoD mentioned it could possibly interact with any seen goal.
The laser heats the goal to over 3,000 levels Celsius straight away.
And so long as the gun has energy, it should by no means run out of ammunition.
DragonFire has price over £140 million to develop, however the Mod mentioned it price only a tenner per shot to fireside – which means thousands and thousands of kilos may very well be saved in future conflicts.
In January, the formidable prototype was fired at a distant vary in Scotland’s outer Hebrides – reaching the UK’s first high-power firing of a laser weapon in opposition to aerial targets.
Declassified footage of the key check confirmed a lightning-fast burst of crimson mild blasting excessive into the sky.
As of two years in the past, the weapon was mentioned to have the ability to hit drones from over two miles away.
It has already been fired from a Royal Navy warship and shall be examined by the Royal Artillery within the autumn.
Army prime brass say it should provide a low-cost various to multi-million pound missiles just like the Royal Navy’s Sea Viper system utilized in battle lately to down Houthi insurgent drones and rockets over the Crimson Sea.
Talking on a go to to the MoD’s prime secret Porton Down base in Wiltshire on Thursday, Shapps mentioned he’s attempting to fast-track the weapon so Ukrainians “may maybe get their arms on it”.
“I’ve come down to hurry up the manufacturing of the DragonFire laser system as a result of I feel given that there is two huge conflicts on – one sea-based, one in Europe – this might have large ramifications to have a weapon succesful notably of taking down drones.”
He plans to introduce modifications to make sure a “a lot shorter timeframe to get it deployed, probably on ships, incoming drones, and probably on land.”
He added: “It does not take that a lot creativeness to see how that may very well be useful in Ukraine for instance.”
The brand new procurement mannequin will come into impact this week because the UK makes an attempt to hurry up its manufacturing of
“It is designed to not wait till we now have this at 99.9% perfection earlier than it goes into the sector, however get it to kind of 70% after which get it on the market after which… develop it from there,” Mr Shapps mentioned.
Requested whether or not the system is perhaps prepared sooner than 2027, he mentioned: “As an instance that it did not must be 100% good to ensure that Ukrainians maybe to to get their arms on it, can we do any higher – however 2027 continues to be the date as of this second
” However after all I am going to look to see what we will do to hurry up.”
Russia’s warfare lately entered its third yr with Kyiv grappling to replenish its depleted ranks and a multibillion-dollar package deal of US assist stays stalled in Washington amid opposition from hardline Republicans.
What the UK has given Ukraine thus far
SINCE the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the UK has pledged nearly £12billion in assist, together with £7.1billion of army help.
Here’s a checklist of the weapons given:
Tanks & armoured autos
The UK led the way in which by supplying Nato’s foremost battle tank to Ukraine in 2022.
In January 2023, Ukraine additionally introduced 12 fearsome Challenger 2 tanks could be despatched.
Over 120 armoured autos have additionally been provided.
Lengthy-range precision strike missiles
This contains the bunker-busting £800k Storm Shadow cruise missiles which have been focused Russian infrastructure deep behind enemy strains and on Russian-occupied Crimea.
Rocket methods, anti-tank weapons & air defence methods
Since 2022, Britain has been donating M270 multiple-launched rocket methods and precision munitions.
It has additionally despatched greater than 5,000 anti-tank weapons and over six air defence methods.
Drones
Final summer season, the UK mentioned it will provide “lots of” of assault drones and air defence missiles.
It didn’t specify what sorts are being provided.
Final evening, Ukraine’s vitality infrastructure was as soon as once more focused in an in a single day missile and drone blitz.
Greater than 200,000 individuals round Kharkiv left with out energy, international minister Dmytro Kuleba mentioned.
It comes as Russia has resorted to the desperate tactic of using mobile sheds to hide their tanks from Ukraine’s kamikaze drone assaults.
Russian tanks have appeared beneath turtle shell-like cages after it was revealed {that a} humiliated Putin has lost almost all of the tanks he had when he started his brutal invasion of Ukraine.
This week, Ukraine introduced it was building an army of AI-powered super-drones designed to ruthlessly search out and strike targets on their very own.
The so-called “unstoppable” kamikaze UAVs ought to have the ability to keep away from Russian interception or jamming and use picture recognition to blitz their prey.
In a steady humiliation for Vladimir Putin, Kyiv has used its comparatively cheap home made drones to destroy his multi-million pound tanks on the battlefield or his warships in the Black Sea – capturing each morale-boosting hit in on camera.
A NEW British laser gun dubbed the “DragonFire” may very well be rushed onto the frontline in Ukraine to provide Kyiv an edge within the warfare of the drones.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps steered the Star Wars-style weapon may very well be used to blast Russian UAVs out the sky on the pace of sunshine far ahead of anticipated.
The DragonFire is anticipated to be prepared for deployment by 2027 on the newest and will have “large ramifications” for the battle in Europe, Shapps mentioned.
The Ministry of Defence lately created new reforms to hurry up the laser’s procurement by 5 years – slashing its unique operational date of 2032.
Nonetheless, Shapps hinted on Thursday that they may find yourself in Ukraine’s arms even sooner – earlier than they’re “100 per cent good”.
The DragonFire is a cutting-edge laser-directed vitality weapon (LDEW), which makes use of an intense mild beam to chop by means of their goal and might strike on the pace of sunshine.
It’s designed to shoot down assault drones, missiles, planes and even satellites with its 50kW beam and might hit targets the dimensions of a £1 coin.
The vary of DragonFire is assessed, however the MoD mentioned it could possibly interact with any seen goal.
The laser heats the goal to over 3,000 levels Celsius straight away.
And so long as the gun has energy, it should by no means run out of ammunition.
DragonFire has price over £140 million to develop, however the Mod mentioned it price only a tenner per shot to fireside – which means thousands and thousands of kilos may very well be saved in future conflicts.
In January, the formidable prototype was fired at a distant vary in Scotland’s outer Hebrides – reaching the UK’s first high-power firing of a laser weapon in opposition to aerial targets.
Declassified footage of the key check confirmed a lightning-fast burst of crimson mild blasting excessive into the sky.
As of two years in the past, the weapon was mentioned to have the ability to hit drones from over two miles away.
It has already been fired from a Royal Navy warship and shall be examined by the Royal Artillery within the autumn.
Army prime brass say it should provide a low-cost various to multi-million pound missiles just like the Royal Navy’s Sea Viper system utilized in battle lately to down Houthi insurgent drones and rockets over the Crimson Sea.
Talking on a go to to the MoD’s prime secret Porton Down base in Wiltshire on Thursday, Shapps mentioned he’s attempting to fast-track the weapon so Ukrainians “may maybe get their arms on it”.
“I’ve come down to hurry up the manufacturing of the DragonFire laser system as a result of I feel given that there is two huge conflicts on – one sea-based, one in Europe – this might have large ramifications to have a weapon succesful notably of taking down drones.”
He plans to introduce modifications to make sure a “a lot shorter timeframe to get it deployed, probably on ships, incoming drones, and probably on land.”
He added: “It does not take that a lot creativeness to see how that may very well be useful in Ukraine for instance.”
The brand new procurement mannequin will come into impact this week because the UK makes an attempt to hurry up its manufacturing of
“It is designed to not wait till we now have this at 99.9% perfection earlier than it goes into the sector, however get it to kind of 70% after which get it on the market after which… develop it from there,” Mr Shapps mentioned.
Requested whether or not the system is perhaps prepared sooner than 2027, he mentioned: “As an instance that it did not must be 100% good to ensure that Ukrainians maybe to to get their arms on it, can we do any higher – however 2027 continues to be the date as of this second
” However after all I am going to look to see what we will do to hurry up.”
Russia’s warfare lately entered its third yr with Kyiv grappling to replenish its depleted ranks and a multibillion-dollar package deal of US assist stays stalled in Washington amid opposition from hardline Republicans.
What the UK has given Ukraine thus far
SINCE the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the UK has pledged nearly £12billion in assist, together with £7.1billion of army help.
Here’s a checklist of the weapons given:
Tanks & armoured autos
The UK led the way in which by supplying Nato’s foremost battle tank to Ukraine in 2022.
In January 2023, Ukraine additionally introduced 12 fearsome Challenger 2 tanks could be despatched.
Over 120 armoured autos have additionally been provided.
Lengthy-range precision strike missiles
This contains the bunker-busting £800k Storm Shadow cruise missiles which have been focused Russian infrastructure deep behind enemy strains and on Russian-occupied Crimea.
Rocket methods, anti-tank weapons & air defence methods
Since 2022, Britain has been donating M270 multiple-launched rocket methods and precision munitions.
It has additionally despatched greater than 5,000 anti-tank weapons and over six air defence methods.
Drones
Final summer season, the UK mentioned it will provide “lots of” of assault drones and air defence missiles.
It didn’t specify what sorts are being provided.
Final evening, Ukraine’s vitality infrastructure was as soon as once more focused in an in a single day missile and drone blitz.
Greater than 200,000 individuals round Kharkiv left with out energy, international minister Dmytro Kuleba mentioned.
It comes as Russia has resorted to the desperate tactic of using mobile sheds to hide their tanks from Ukraine’s kamikaze drone assaults.
Russian tanks have appeared beneath turtle shell-like cages after it was revealed {that a} humiliated Putin has lost almost all of the tanks he had when he started his brutal invasion of Ukraine.
This week, Ukraine introduced it was building an army of AI-powered super-drones designed to ruthlessly search out and strike targets on their very own.
The so-called “unstoppable” kamikaze UAVs ought to have the ability to keep away from Russian interception or jamming and use picture recognition to blitz their prey.
In a steady humiliation for Vladimir Putin, Kyiv has used its comparatively cheap home made drones to destroy his multi-million pound tanks on the battlefield or his warships in the Black Sea – capturing each morale-boosting hit in on camera.