This ground-breaking test, conducted at Dstl's range in Porton Down, saw the laser weapon fired at full power whilst integrated onto a British Army Wolfhound armoured vehicle. The lightweight, portable HELWS is the first laser weapon integrated on a land vehicle to be fired in the UK.
This milestone marks a major leap forward in the UK Ministry of Defence's Land Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) Demonstrator programme. The increasing prevalence, proliferation and evolution of drone warfare makes the rapid adoption of counter-UAS technologies ever more important.
This variant of the HELWS has been designed to defeat NATO class 1 drones whilst being easily compatible within existing air defence systems, including radar, command and control and other platforms.
"We have proven that the Raytheon high energy laser weapon system can track and engage targets whilst mounted on a vehicle," said James Gray, chief executive and managing director of Raytheon UK. "The speed at which this capability was delivered is only possible due to the hard work of our British SME partners, coupled with the operationally proven technology developed by Raytheon."
The Wolfhound integration successfully fused the proven capability of Raytheon's High-Energy Laser Weapon System with cutting edge UK intellectual property from Frazer Nash, NP Aerospace, LumOptica, Blighter Surveillance Systems, and Cambridge Pixel.
"As Defence Secretary, I want to take the politics out of national security so where there is important work begun under the previous government, we will take it forward in the interest of national security," said Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon John Healey MP. "That is why we are renewing important partnerships with industry and continuing to push technological boundaries. This will drive prosperity and create skilled jobs across the country."
Team Hersa, which pairs Dstl's technical expertise with the best acquisition skills from DE&S, is managing delivery of the demonstrators and is responsible for preparing Defence for the introduction of innovative weapons systems, ensuring the UK Armed Forces can successfully exploit this potentially game changing capability at pace.
"The joint working between Dstl, DE&S and industry has enabled rapid evolution of this laser demonstrator. The successful testing of this high-powered laser weapon marks a pivotal moment in our ongoing efforts to enhance the future operational capabilities of the British Army," said Matt Cork, Dstl Programme Lead. "This technology offers a precise, powerful and cost-effective means to defeat aerial threats, ensuring greater protection for our forces."
Raytheon's HELWS is certified for use in combat with US forces, with multiple systems now in service. The system has logged more than 40,000 testing hours and downed more than 400 targets.
The next phase of testing for the UK will allow British Army soldiers to familiarise themselves with the system and refine requirements for future capability.
