Designed to stop aerial threats such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the 15-kilowatt laser is the latest development in the UK Ministry of Defence’s Land Demonstrator programme, said the company.
It is operationally ready and the portable defensive weopon system will be integrated onto a Wolfhound military vehicle. This is expected to be in October.
The Wolfhound (right), part of the Tactical Support Vehicles (TSV) group, is a six-wheeled truck to provide troops with increased protection in high-threat areas.
“The arrival of this transformative technology is an important milestone in our collaboration with the MoD on using directed energy to address a variety of threats, from drones and UAVs to more complex missile systems,” said Julie Finlayson-Odell, managing director of weapons and sensors at Raytheon UK.
“This system is a culmination of decades of investment, research and innovation and its arrival reflects our continued commitment to help fulfil a key strategic objective of the UK’s Integrated Review, which is to understand how directed energy weapons can safely and effectively operate alongside other elements of the UK’s armed forces.”
The company says the laser has performed as designed in multiple field tests, including weather conditions with extreme heat, cold, rain, sleet and snow. During four days of live-fire exercises earlier this year in the United States, the system successfully acquired, tracked, targeted and destroyed dozens of drone targets in short-range attack, swarm attack and long-range threat scenarios, said Raytheon.
Note that the delivery of the system to the UK comes as Raytheon UK officially opens its new laser integration centre in Livingston, Scotland. This specialises in the testing, fielding and maintenance of defensive laser weapons. The company describes it as a regional hub established to ensure that laser weapons can be quickly fielded, maintained and repaired.
Raytheon UK
Raytheon UK has facilities in Broughton, Waddington, Livingston, Glenrothes, Harlow, Gloucester and Manchester and employs 1,700 people.
RTX is the parent company, incorporating the businesses of Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney, as well as Raytheon.
See also: Raytheon to modernise space-based WAAS navigation system
