Leading defense companies such as RTX in the US, MBDA in the EU, and QinetiQ in the UK have begun to invest heavily in developing low-cost, high-energy laser weapons to combat UAVs. During the war in Ukraine, the widespread use of UAVs revealed a significant asymmetry of costs in which it is cheaper to attack than to defend. Western countries faced a similar problem when their ships needed to launch missiles costing several million dollars to shoot down Yemeni Houthi drones in the Red Sea.
This situation can be changed by laser systems, such as the British DragonFire system, which will be installed on ships by 2027. One laser shot costs only £10, and the system can hit a coin from one kilometer. However, these systems have significant limitations: They work only with clear, direct visibility of the target, and the laser requires a reliable power source.
Experts believe that laser weapons will be an addition to existing weapons systems and not a complete replacement.