Scott Nicholas
The U.K. military has selected MBDA to demonstrate a capacity to field laser-directed weapons that can potentially urge the country’s navy and other services to utilize similar systems, Defense News reported Sunday.
Andrew Chuter writes MBDA leads a bid team called UK Dragonfire that includes BAE Systems, Leonardo-Finmeccanica, Marshall Defense and Aerospace and Qinetiq to develop a solid state high power demonstrator weapon that will support the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory“™s directed energy weapons project.
The report said the ministry of defense will announce details of the contract in the coming days if other competitors that include a Babcock/Raytheon consortium, Lockheed Martin, Thales Group and Rheinmetall do not file any protests.
Chuter adds Thales has previously looked to overseas partners in 2013 to help fund long-term work for laser projects in the country due to lack of support from the ministry of defense.
