The UK MoD has awarded a £316 million ($413 million) contract to MBDA UK to supply DragonFire high‑energy laser weapon systems to the Royal Navy, with initial deliveries from 2027, following trials in which the system destroyed high‑speed drones, the ministry announced.
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Briefing
The £316m award commits MBDA UK to deliver DragonFire to the Royal Navy with initial deliveries from 2027, signalling near‑term fielding of a shipborne directed‑energy capability and a concrete procurement timeline.
Directed‑energy weapons provide a scalable, low‑cost‑per‑engagement option against high‑speed and swarming UAS; the announcement follows trials in which DragonFire destroyed high‑speed drones, reinforcing the UK's focus on counter‑drone and ship self‑defence capability (see growing UK efforts on new naval and unmanned platforms).
The contract both sustains MBDA's UK industrial activity and fits broader MBDA moves to expand production and partnerships, highlighting momentum in European defence prime contractors' portfolios (see MBDA's recent regional industrial initiatives).
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UK pledges £316m for MBDA’s DragonFire laser air‑defence systems • Aviation Week
AeroTime
• Clement Charpentreau