New air defence laser engages multiple missiles at once
RAF pilots are one step closer to being equipped with a cutting-edge air-protection laser self-protection system, following 100% successful live-fire trials.
Air protection laser defeats 100% of targets in live firing trial.
Equipment being fitted to UK military aircraft to defeat missile threats.
Collaboration between Dstl scientists and UK industry partners help support 1950 jobs across Scotland.
RAF pilots are one step closer to being equipped with a cutting-edge laser self-protection system, following 100% successful live-fire trials.
The laser is being designed to be fitted to a range of RAF aircraft including the intelligence gathering Shadow R2 and A400M transporter, ready to rapidly detect and defeat threats such as missiles.
During the trial at the Vidsel Test Range in Sweden, the operational system defeated a range of infrared heat-seeking missiles being fired simultaneously.
100% of threats were quickly defeated using a laser with pinpoint accuracy, which has been designed and developed by the Team Pellonia partnership between Leonardo UK, Thales UK, and the MOD’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.
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