MBDA Deutschland has developed a rotatable laser effector designed to deploy on various land and sea-based platforms and is integrated with the platform via standardised interfaces. The company is displaying the new system this week at the ILA Berlin Air Show. The new weapon system is especially suitable for defence against highly agile targets such as UAVs, rockets and mortar shells.
With a beam guidance system covering a full hemisphere, the system can acquire targets in a 360-degree operational arc, track and then destroy specific targets using the weapon’s powerful laser beam.
The integrated tracking systems ensure a stable holding point on the target, and thus rapid target engagement. Short engagement times also make this effector capable of defending against swarming attacks such as UAVs attacking from different directions. The mirror optics used are capable of harnessing higher laser power levels than those currently available today.
“In recent years, MBDA Deutschland has invested a significant amount of its own resources into the development of laser technologies,” states Peter Heilmeier, MBDA Deutschland’s Head of Sales and Business Development. He indicated that the new laser effector is a further important step towards an operationally deployable system.
MBDA Deutschland has been working on laser effectors for several years. The company has successfully tested laser effectors in multiple trials against airborne targets such as shells and UAVs as well as other targets.
