According to foreign media reports, the UK Ministry of Defence recently issued a statement stating that the British Army has successfully tested a 15 kW laser weapon on an armored vehicle for the first time. During testing, the laser weapon shot down dozens of quadcopter drones, demonstrating "game changing warfare technology". The laser weapon tested by the British Army is known as the "Swindon" project, which uses advanced sensors and tracking systems to guide the laser towards the target and maintain continuous lock on, thereby burning the target. The UK Ministry of Defence stated that the laser weapon has a 100% kill rate against drones and has the ability to quickly target and strike the next target after quickly eliminating one. In this test, the British Army used laser weapons to strike unmanned aerial vehicle targets at different distances, flight speeds, and altitudes. For confidentiality reasons, the British Army has not disclosed the duration of time the laser weapon will take to destroy the target drone. To enhance mobility and combat range, the laser weapon is installed on the "Wolfhound" 6 × 6 armored vehicle. It is reported that in July this year, the UK used a 15 kilowatt laser weapon to hit targets during testing. However, the personnel operating the laser weapon at that time were not British Army personnel. The recent test of shooting down dozens of quadcopter drones was operated by soldiers from the British Army's 16th Artillery Corps. To conduct this test, the soldiers of the regiment received training in aiming and tracking in advance. The 16th Artillery Corps is the only regiment level unit in the British Army with medium range air defense capabilities, primarily tasked with protecting ground forces from enemy aircraft attacks. The laser weapon tested this time was developed by Raytheon's UK subsidiary and is capable of destroying drones, helicopters, and other low altitude targets. The CEO of the company, James Gray, stated that the laser weapon developed by Raytheon can be installed on armored vehicles to track and attack targets, and can also be used in conjunction with existing air defense systems and radars. In addition, the British Navy is advancing a laser weapon project called "Dragon Fire", which will be carried on Type 26 frigates and is expected to be put into use around 2030. At present, the technological maturity of the system has reached 70%. In recent years, with the advantage of quantity, the frequency of use of drones in actual combat has surpassed that of expensive and limited air defense missiles. Some media analysis suggests that laser weapons used in anti drone warfare may have ushered in their own era. Currently, many countries are developing laser weapons to meet the needs of unmanned aerial vehicle battlefields. This type of weapon can be launched multiple times and has a low cost, while ensuring energy supply and preventing malfunctions. It is very suitable for combating swarms of drones and other low altitude targets. As the European Missile Group develops laser weapons for the German Defense Forces, the company is currently working towards improving lethality and system compactness. However, most laser weapons have high power and require high energy supply, while also being susceptible to weather and environmental influences. These types of weapons have complex structures and require special maintenance and operating conditions. In the field combat environment, its maintenance and operation are more difficult. In addition, the use of laser weapons may cause certain harm to operators, such as irreversible eye damage caused by laser radiation, which may raise a series of legal and ethical issues. (New Society)