Nano-drones and DragonFire lasers: New tech blazes a trail for UK's modernising military

Autonomous submarines, uncrewed fighters and hand-held lasers receive £5 billion development package in defence review

The DragonFire laser-directed energy weapon system firing on a range in Scotland. MoD

The science fiction of Star Wars is rapidly becoming a reality as laser weapons and attack drones feature heavily in Britain’s evolving armed forces.

With the ability to shoot down a £1 coin from 1km away, the DragonFire laser could become a major force in defending against missile and drone attacks, after the UK Ministry of Defence announced a £5 billion ($6.75 billion) investment in an array of new systems.

Britain has drawn heavily on the lessons of the Ukraine conflict in its Strategic Defence Review, launched on Monday. The revolution in warfare is producing much more automation, essentially letting robots do the heavy lifting in warfare.

Sources have disclosed to The National how the British have developed secret weapons, from nano drones and microwave weapons to autonomous submarines, that are all likely to have operated in Ukraine’s defence.

A British DragonFire laser weapon system. PA

Breathing DragonFire

The DragonFire system will receive nearly £1 billion in funding to install the laser-directed energy weapons on a Type-45 destroyer by 2027 as the UK seeks to become “the leading edge of innovation”.

Modern missile interceptors can cost more than $1 million per weapon, but the DragonFire will just be £10 a shot – while being invisible and silent.

Trials have demonstrated that the laser's beams can within five seconds destroy drones or make mortar bombs explode mid-flight.

The lasers travel at the speed of light and destroy incoming threats by turning metal surfaces into 3,000°C plasma at a range understood to be beyond 2km.

The system, which has been in development for nearly a decade, could become powerful enough to intercept ballistic missiles. The army will also receive a lorry-mounted DragonFire before the end of the decade with prototypes sent to Ukraine earlier to test their effectiveness.

While the DragonFire uses up to 100 kilowatts in energy, US warships are looking at a 300-kilowatt system that could be capable of taking down cruise missiles and aircraft, and will come into service in a decade.

Head of Ukraine's Security Service Vasyl Maliuk. Britain has drawn heavily on the lessons of the Ukraine conflict in its Strategic Defence Review. Reuters

Lessons from Ukraine

The extraordinary developments made by both Ukraine and Russia in drone warfare have changed the nature of warfare.

Military tacticians will be studying closely the massed drone assault authorised by Kyiv in which 41 Russian military aircraft were destroyed, causing $7 billion in damage, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

In Sunday’s raid, lorries filled with suicide drones were driven into Russia, one as far away as Siberia, then parked before their roofs were remotely opened and the aircraft flew to military bases, slipping past Russia’s air defences.

Nanos, lasers and swarms

A range of highly advanced weapon systems, many of them undergoing trials in Ukraine, will be developed at pace with £4 billion in funding, mostly at what will be called the UK Drone Centre.

This, the Strategic Defence Review said, will apply battlefield lessons from Ukraine where drones now kill more people than traditional artillery.

It is understood that the British army is developing personal laser weapons to take down small drones but is struggling to “operationalise” them due to the huge amounts of power required.

The Banshee Jet 80 kamikaze drone is likely to be upgraded, with a number of models already used in Ukraine, the defence source disclosed. The Banshee can carry a 7kg warhead an estimated 200km using its twin jet engines to travel at 720km/h.

A Qinetic Banshee fixed-wing drone on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. PA

Microwave weapons are being developed against drones and have been deployed to Ukraine for testing.

Swarm technology is also advancing, with the Magni X system of six aircraft that can operate autonomously to defeat Russian anti-drone systems. They are thought to be capable of carrying a 2kg payload to use against individuals or vehicles.

Nano technology will be carefully studied, building on the success of the finger-sized 18g Black Hornet drones. These can carry three cameras and fly for about 25 minutes, sneaking into buildings or military camps.

Scientists will use AI and autonomy to develop battlefield transport, getting ammunition and rations to the front line in driverless vehicles.

Another system in advanced development is a quadcopter that can lift wounded soldiers out of combat zones. It is also likely to be in use in Ukraine.

BAE Systems' model of the Tempest. PA

Sea and air

According to the Strategic Defence Review, Britain and its allies will have to compete harder for control of the air, “fighting in a way not seen for over 30 years”, due to advances by adversaries.

The RAF is developing the Tempest sixth-generation Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) as its future fighter.

The Tempest is a sixth-generation fighter being developed through the Global Combat Air Programme

It is understood that 216 Squadron is undertaking discrete trials for a system called CCA (collaborative combat aircraft), otherwise known as the “loyal wingman”, in which the mother aircraft operates smaller drone fighters.

While the Strategic Defence Review stated that 12 new attack submarines will be built, the development of autonomous boats is already well under way. The Neptune automated submarine is able to carry out covert close reconnaissance and is likely to have been used in the Black Sea to target Russian warships.