- Germany advances a naval laser weapon towards operational deployment in 2029
- The 100kW laser of the future aims to counter faster and larger air threats
- More than 1,000 laser shots validated the performance during extended fleet trials
Germany has confirmed plans to put a high-energy laser weapon on board naval vessels by 2029, primarily aimed at intercepting drones.
Defense contractors Rheinmetall and MBDA signed a contract in June 2026 worth several hundred million euros to build the complete system.
The program follows years of testing by a demonstrator aboard the frigate Saxony, which fired more than 1,000 rounds during trials.
From demonstrator to deployable weapon
The demonstrator currently operates at about 20 kilowatts, sufficient to neutralize small drones and light surface targets near naval vessels.
Future versions are expected to exceed 100 kilowatts, a significant increase to counter larger and significantly faster air threats.
During the trials, the demonstrator covered around 28,000 nautical miles between the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean over more than a year.
A second test phase included over 100 live firing events in maritime conditions that examined tracking accuracy, reaction speed and engagement performance against fast-moving drones.
“The laser weapon system will provide our personnel deployed on naval vessels with a significantly higher level of protection, especially when it comes to countering drones,” said Roman Koehne, head of Rheinmetall’s weapons and ammunition division.
In addition to countering drones, engineers hope the technology could eventually intercept guided missiles, rockets and even artillery shells fired from significant ranges.
Company officials say the system also demonstrated the ability to hit targets set against open skies rather than solid terrain.
The British, French and Belgian forces are pursuing similar systems – a broader push towards directed energy weapons across European navies more generally.
The United Kingdom’s Royal Navy, for example, already plans to install its DragonFire laser weapon aboard a destroyer by 2027.
Similarly, Belgium committed €3.1 billion for layered air defense, including Skyranger 30 systems, GM200 radars and 10 NASAMS batteries.
Costs, sovereignty and unresolved issues
The German program places great emphasis on domestic supply chains, where series production is expected to largely take place in Germany.
MBDA Deutschland’s managing director, Thomas Gottschild, described the container system as an affordable option for guarding ports and other secure facilities.
Neither company has revealed a final price per unit, leaving open how affordable the weapon will prove in full production.
Scaling the laser from 20 kilowatts to more than 100 kilowatts introduces significant thermal and power generation challenges aboard enclosed naval platforms.
But officials believe naval vessels offer sufficient electrical power, cooling capacity, sensors and space for the demanding laser weapon systems.
Both companies describe the system’s technological readiness as very high, citing more than a year of continuous on-board testing under real-world conditions.
Procurement officials have not specified preliminary milestones, making it still difficult to assess whether the 2029 goal remains realistic at this point.
Further trials are still needed before procurement, but recent milestones suggest that European navies now see directed energy weapons as practical complements to existing missiles and guns.
Via Defense News
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