Britain to equip ships with lasers to take down drones from 2027

Reuters - 12/04
Britain's defence ministry on Friday said it would install lasers on warships designed to cheaply shoot down drones from 2027, five years earlier than previously expected, under reforms designed to speed up the deployment of new technology.
LONDON, April 12 (Reuters) - Britain's defence ministry on Friday said it would install lasers on warships designed to cheaply shoot down drones from 2027, five years earlier than previously expected, under reforms designed to speed up the deployment of new technology.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT

Britain's Ministry of Defence (MOD) said that the lasers could fire at any target visible in the air at the cost of around 10 pounds ($12.52) a shot, and had equivalent accuracy to hitting a pound coin from a kilometre (0.62 mile) away.
The DragonFire lasers had previously been expected to be rolled out from 2032, and can use an intense beam of light to cut through a target, the MOD said, meaning it could prove to be a long-term low-cost alternative for shooting down drones.

KEY QUOTE

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