UK DragonFire Laser Shoots Down 400mph Drones; MoD Signs £316M Deal for Type 45 Fleet

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed that its DragonFire laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) successfully intercepted and destroyed drones traveling at speeds exceeding 400 mph during advanced trials at the Hebrides Range. The tests mark a significant milestone in the development of the system, proving its lethality against high-velocity aerial threats.
Following the successful demonstration, which the MoD stated included the system’s first confirmed “beyond-the-horizon” drone kills, the government has formally signed a £316 million contract with defense giant MBDA UK. This agreement greenlights the installation of the DragonFire system onto the Royal Navy’s fleet of Type 45 destroyers, with deployment scheduled to begin in 2027.
DragonFire is positioned as a revolutionary “hard-kill” alternative to traditional kinetic interceptors. Unlike the Royal Navy’s current Sea Viper missiles, which cost hundreds of thousands of pounds per shot, the laser system offers a limitless magazine at a fraction of the cost—estimated at roughly £10 per engagement—provided it has a reliable power source.
According to reports from Tom’s Hardware, the system operates by focusing an intense beam of light on a target, cutting through its structure or destroying its electronics. However, the technology does face physical limitations; its performance is dependent on line-of-sight conditions and can be affected by atmospheric challenges such as heavy fog or rain, as well as the need for stable, high-output power generation on the host vessel.
Despite these constraints, the ability to track and destroy fast-moving targets at the reported speeds validates the decision to accelerate the program. The integration of DragonFire onto the Type 45 destroyers is expected to provide a crucial layer of defense against swarming drones and loitering munitions, preserving expensive missiles for high-value threats like anti-ship cruise missiles.