MBDA-Led Consortium to Demo Laser Capacity for UK Military

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.