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Comment on British frigates could be armed with laser weapons by Andrew A
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Comments for UK Defence Journal
The Ministry of Defence has indicated that the Royal Navy’s DragonFire laser weapon may be deployed across a wider range of warships than previously confirmed, with Type 26 and Type 31 frigates now explicitly referenced as potential hosts for the system.
He said the system’s modular design means it can be moved between platforms as operational requirements change.
The answers to the written questions suggest a phased approach, with initial deployment on a Type 45 followed by wider availability across ships equipped to support modular payloads.
Type 26 and Type 31 frigates are already being designed around flexible mission bays and containerised systems, making them structurally better suited to rapid integration of emerging technologies such as directed-energy weapons.
The DragonFire system, developed by a UK industry consortium led by MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ, is intended to provide close-range air defence against threats including drones and small airborne targets.