Grant Shapps said DragonFire didn't need to be 100% perfect to be acquired by Ukrainians
‘DragonFire’, a UK high-power laser weapon, could be sent to Ukraine to use against Russian drone attacks.
According to the BBC, UK defence secretary Grant Shapps says that the laser weapon could have ‘huge ramifications’ for the conflict in Europe.
Shappa said that he wanted to ‘speed up’ the production of DrangonFire to make it available sooner, as it is expected to be introduced by 2027.
Defense secretary on a visit of Porton Down military search center near Salisbury told reporters, “Let's say that it didn't have to be 100% perfect in order for Ukrainians perhaps to get their hands on it.”
He furthered, “It's designed to not wait until we have this at 99.9% perfection before it goes into the field, but get it to sort of 70% and then get it out there and then develop it from there. But 2027 is still the date as of this moment.”
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) says that the reason behind the fastening of the process is the ‘rapidly changing threat environment’ faced by the UK.
MoD claims that the weapon is capable enough to hit a £1 from a kilometre away.
These laser-directed energy weapons (LDEWs) use an intense beam of light to cut through their target. It can attack any visible target that is close enough to the speed of light.
DragonFire successful trial was carried out at the MoD’s Hebrides Range in Scotland in January.
