Lasers to shoot down drones: how they're changing modern warfare

The massive influx of drones into modern conflicts has brought about a huge change in the way wars are fought. Ukraine, Gaza, and the Red Sea are today a war laboratory. in which one sees daily how small unmanned devices, many of them cheap and almost homemade, put defensive systems that cost millions against the ropes.

Faced with this situation, armies around the world have launched a technological race to find weapons capable of shooting down drones quickly, accurately, and cheaplyAnd that's where directed energy systems, especially high-power lasers, come into play, promising to turn what seemed like science fiction into a very real game-changing tool on the battlefield.

Why lasers have become the new anti-drone obsession

In recent years it has become evident that Kamikaze and reconnaissance drones are a constant threatThey fly low, maneuver quickly, can operate in swarms, and, most worryingly, cost a fraction of what a modern anti-aircraft missile is worth.

Meanwhile, many countries continue to use traditional systems for defense, such as guided missiles or anti-aircraft artillery. The problem is that launching a missile worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars against a very cheap drone is simply unsustainable.The United States Navy, for example, has spent nearly $1.000 billion on missiles to intercept threats in areas such as the Red Sea, at an approximate cost of $2,1 million per launch, a real absurdity compared to devices that sometimes cost less than a car.

High-energy lasers are presented as the logical alternative: Each shot costs just a few euros or even centsThey don't use physical ammunition and can attack multiple targets in a matter of seconds. Furthermore, they offer a very clear strategic advantage: they don't generate explosions or fragments, reducing collateral damage and operating with near-surgical precision.

Since they are beams of light, laser beams travel in a straight line at the speed of light, which means that, once emitted, there is no way to intercept or divert them in flightIf the aiming system is able to track the target, the laser can concentrate energy on a tiny point and "fry" its sensors, motors, or electronic systems without needing to destroy it spectacularly.

This combination of low cost per shot, pinpoint accuracy, and minimal collateral footprint This has turned laser weapons into the major focus of investment for military powers, who are rushing to take them out of the laboratory and into the sea, onto land and even, in the future, into the air.

DragonFire: the British laser that boasts precision and low cost

One of the most ambitious projects in this field is DragonFire, the high-energy laser system developed in the United KingdomThis is a program launched in 2017 with an initial budget of about $38 million, involving the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), the missile company MBDA, Leonardo UK and the defense technology firm QinetiQ.

The British Ministry of Defence has carried out tests at military facilities in Scotland, including the Hebrides Islands firing range, with some very striking results. DragonFire has managed to track and shoot down high-speed drones which reached speeds of up to 650 km/h, approximately double the top speed of a Formula 1 car, and has done so even beyond the system's horizon, something very relevant in naval scenarios.

According to the military personnel who participated in the demonstrations, The precision of the laser beam is literally lightning-fast.It has even been claimed that the system can hit a one-pound coin from a kilometer away, a very graphic way of explaining how much energy it can concentrate on a tiny point above the structure of a drone or other type of aerial threat.

DragonFire combines a powerful laser beam with an advanced fire tracking and control system. Their mission isn't always to blow the drone to bits.but rather to damage its critical components: optical sensors, navigation electronics, communication links, or key surfaces. By disabling these components, the aircraft loses control and eventually crashes without causing large explosions.

This system, developed by MBDA and its partners, was initially designed for the Royal Navy, where it will be installed on Type 45 destroyers starting in 2027five years ahead of the original plan. However, the British Ministry of Defence does not rule out the possibility of adapting the same technology later for armored vehicles or other land platforms.

The contract signed with MBDA UK is worth around 316 million pounds sterling. (around 358-360 million euros), reflecting the long-term commitment to incorporating directed-energy weapons into the country's defense and placing the United Kingdom at the technological forefront within NATO.

The key to DragonFire: taking down drones for less than the cost of a meal

Beyond the futuristic aspect, where DragonFire really makes a difference is in the combat economy. Each laser shot costs approximately 10 pounds., a little over 11 euros, and the British Ministry of Defense goes so far as to estimate the use of the laser at less than 12 euros per shot in some cases.

To give you an idea: Turning on DragonFire for ten seconds costs the same as having your home heating on for an hour.Compared to the hundreds of thousands (or millions) of euros it costs to launch a guided missile, the savings are overwhelming, especially if the enemy uses cheap drones in industrial quantities.

The war in Ukraine and drone attacks in areas such as the Red Sea have shown that traditional defense systems can end up being a bottomless pit of money. If a multi-million dollar missile is used to shoot down a drone made of wood, polystyrene, and off-the-shelf electronics, the attacker has already won the economic battle.even if I lose the device.

With DragonFire, the logic is reversed: The cost per demolition is plummeting This makes it feasible to maintain continuous defensive patrols without fear of depleting the ammunition budget. This opens the door to deploying it as a frontline defense against kamikaze drones and other small targets, reserving expensive missiles for larger threats.

Furthermore, the use of a beam of light eliminates the problem of shrapnel fragments and projectiles that miss their target. If the laser fails, it simply continues traveling until the atmosphere absorbs and scatters the energy.without causing random explosions on land or at sea. This feature is well-suited to scenarios with nearby civilian infrastructure or busy trade routes.

 

Military advantages of laser weapons over conventional missiles

Lasers like DragonFire or Apollo are considered defensive weapons par excellenceThey can respond immediately to a threat, but by their very nature they are not suitable for bombing cities or causing large-scale damage far from the battlefield.

Among its clearest advantages is the speed of response. A laser doesn't need to accelerate or follow a curved path.It impacts almost instantly on the target. In situations where a drone is approaching at high speed, those few seconds can mean the difference between intercepting it or watching it reach its target.

The cross-section of the beam is usually minuscule, on the order of a few square millimeters. That allows it to behave almost like a scalpel in the hands of a surgeon.A part of the drone is selected (for example, an optical sensor, a wing, or the communications antenna) and energy is concentrated there until it dissipates. This all happens cleanly, without a large detonation or the shower of fragments that usually accompanies missile destruction.

Another important aspect is that lasers are extremely difficult to counter. Traditional countermeasures, such as launching decoys or attempting to deceive the missile's guidance system, become pointless. when the “projectile” is a beam of pure light. The only real recourse is to hide (for example, behind dense smoke or in bad weather conditions) or try to overwhelm the system with a massive number of targets.

Historically, lasers were already used on the battlefield for tasks such as target designation, rangefinding, or observation. What's new now is that its effectiveness as a direct weapon is being demonstrated.capable of damaging or destroying enemy systems without the need for a physical projectile. It's the leap from being "the eyes of the system" to also becoming its "fist."

Technical limitations: the Achilles' heel of laser cannons

Despite all the enthusiasm, high-energy lasers are far from perfect. Its performance depends critically on atmospheric conditionsFog, rain, high humidity, or even air turbulence can absorb, scatter, or distort the beam, reducing its effective range and the amount of energy that reaches the target.

Furthermore, when working with very high power levels, the beam itself can interact with the air, heating it and generating phenomena that affect its propagation. Finding the right balance between power, wavelength, beam shape, and shot duration It is both a scientific and an engineering challenge.

Another serious problem arises when the system is installed on mobile platforms, such as a ship in rough seas or a vehicle moving over uneven terrain. Aiming steadily at a small, fast drone from a moving surface It's quite similar to trying to hit a target while standing on a balance board: any small wobble results in deviations of the beam.

To mitigate this, developers incorporate advanced stabilization systems, gyroscopes, and control software that compensate for platform movements. Even so, keeping the "laser dot" pointed at the target during There enough to damage it It remains one of the biggest challenges, especially over long distances.

Finally, it is essential to thoroughly train the crews. Operating a laser weapon is not simply a matter of pulling a trigger.This involves understanding how the weather affects the system, how to prioritize targets, how to coordinate with other defense systems, and how to manage available power so as not to leave the system "dry" at the worst possible moment.

Apollo: the Australian laser cannon designed for swarms of drones

While the UK is accelerating with DragonFire, Australia has made a strong entrance thanks to Apollo, the high-energy laser weapon developed by Electro Optic Systems (EOS)This is a system designed from the outset with a very specific threat in mind: swarms of low-cost drones that attack in waves.

Apollo can reach a power output of up to 150 kilowatts and, according to the company itself, It is capable of neutralizing up to 20 drones per minuteThe most striking thing is the operating cost: it is estimated that each shot costs less than 10 cents, an almost symbolic figure when compared to traditional ammunition.

In terms of scope, the system can destroy drones at a distance of about 3 kilometers and blind or disable optical sensors at a distance of about 15 kilometersFurthermore, its 360-degree coverage and ability to acquire targets in about 700 milliseconds make it an ideal candidate for covering large areas against sudden attacks.

Another of its strengths is its modularity. Apollo can be installed in a standard 6-meter container or on vehiclesThis facilitates flexible deployment and integration into layered air defense systems. Thus, it can be placed near critical infrastructure, bases, vehicle convoys, or strategic points without requiring major construction work.

NATO has already made its move and finalized the purchase of the system, with the first deliveries are expected in 2028The complete package—which includes maintenance, training, and associated components—costs around $83 million. Conflicts like those in Ukraine and Gaza have served as a catalyst, pushing policymakers to demand solutions ready for immediate deployment, without being bogged down in endless testing phases.

Operational limitations of Apollo and its role in air defense

As with DragonFire, Apollo is not a magic wand that completely replaces the rest of the defensive systems. Its effectiveness is greatly affected by the weather.Rain, fog, or suspended dust significantly reduce its range and energy concentration capacity.

Its operating range of between 1,6 and 4,8 kilometers under ideal conditions makes it perfect against drones and other relatively close targets, but It is not the ideal tool to deal with ballistic missiles or conventional aircraft. that operate at much greater distances or altitudes.

Therefore, experts agree that Laser cannons are not going to replace missiles or anti-aircraft artillery in the short term.Rather, they will be integrated as an essential complement to deal with low-cost, high-volume threats, freeing up more expensive systems for truly strategic objectives.

Even with these limitations, investment remains strong. The Pentagon, for example, allocates around $1.000 billion a year for research into directed-energy weaponsWhile Israel plans to incorporate its own laser system, the Iron Beam, starting in 2025. Everything indicates that lasers will be a key piece of the global defense puzzle.

Spain and the “bullets of light”: the CLPU project

Spain is also jumping on the laser defense bandwagon. For about five years now, the Pulsed Laser Center (CLPU) of the University of Salamanca He is working on the development of a pulsed laser prototype aimed at neutralizing drones and other aerial threats.

According to Roberto Lera, a specialist scientist at CLPU, The goal is to demonstrate that this type of technology is viable for defense applications.In other words, the aim is to create a kind of "bullet of light" capable of damaging a drone through extremely intense and brief laser pulses.

Interest in this project has skyrocketed as a result of the war in Ukraine and the proliferation of drone attacks in various scenarios. The arms industry has set its sights on these investigations, aware that they could place Spain in a very advantageous position within the directed energy weapons sector.

Not all the technical details have been made public yet, but the pulsed laser approach opens the door to new ways of neutralizing targets, different from the continuous laser used in systems like DragonFire or Apollo. If the CLPU manages to materialize a reliable demonstratorSpain could play a much more relevant role in European laser defense developments.

All this work puts the country on a clear path: not limiting themselves to buying foreign solutions, but actively participating in the creation of their own technologies that can be integrated into national or multinational defense systems.

With all these projects on the table, the general feeling is that Lasers to shoot down drones are no longer a science fiction fantasy to become a very serious tool, increasingly close to large-scale operational deployment. Now the challenge lies in refining its weaknesses, integrating it well with the rest of the defense systems, and training the armed forces to make the most of it.