Recent combat operations in Ukraine and the Middle East have demonstrated once again that the cost of defending against swarms of attacking drones and waves of missiles using current solutions favours the attacker. Continuing to rely on expensive weapon systems with limited rounds will, eventually, enable the attacker to win by overwhelming defences using large numbers of inexpensive drones, shells and missiles. A new system is required for providing short-range air defence and close-in protection that changes the calculus in favour of the defender.
Enter the Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW). With an approximate cost per shot of $20 and the ability to hit a one-dollar coin at one kilometre, the UK’s DragonFire 50kW-class laser has demonstrated its effectiveness during trials. Thanks to the UK’s recent transition to a minimum deployable capability procurement approach, it is expected to be deployed on Royal Navy ships by 2027 rather than the original 2032 timeframe. The result of a £100 million investment from both government and industry, the program is led by the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), working with its industry partners MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ.
QinetiQ’s work with both the Dstl and the ADF’s Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) has created an opportunity for the establishment of a sovereign LDEW capability for the ADF. ADM recently met with Paul Gray - Head of Business Development for advanced weapons from QinetiQ UK - and Russell Maddalena, Campaign Director for Advanced Capabilities, from QinetiQ Australia to discuss this new initiative.
“We were chosen because DSTG believed their technology & ours would come together to accelerate the development of sovereign capability for Australia,” Maddalena said. DSTG were aware of Dstl’s LDEW project and identified that, by merging QinetiQ’s coherent beam combining technology from the UK with DSTG’s high power amplifiers, it would be possible to create an advanced, indigenous solution at an accelerated pace.
QinetiQ’s UK and Australian entities worked together to establish the project between the two countries well in advance of AUKUS being established. While the support and involvement of both governments assisted with the resolution of the roadblocks that existed at the time, it still required extensive efforts to achieve. “It’s been a great success story from the point of view in terms of international collaborative programs,” Gray said, noting that the project could be used as an exemplar for establishing future partnerships under AUKUS.
DSTG’s $12.9 million contract with QinetiQ Australia was awarded in April 2023 and is expected to deliver in Q1 2025. It is a true collaborative effort with QinetiQ’s UK team building some of the laser components, and the Australian team building the remainder. The Australian team are also being trained on the coherent beam combining technology and the systems integration work is being performed in Adelaide. The result will be a trial system at a lower Technology Readiness Level (TRL) than DragonFire but still capable of demonstrating that the UK and Australian Laser technologies can work together effectively. Once delivered, DSTG will test the system with QinetiQ’s support and, although the test plan has not yet been disclosed, it will likely commence with short range firings before progressing to longer range tests.
Looking beyond the trial system, QinetiQ is already in discussions with DSTG and Defence for the next stage of an accelerated program that could produce a minimum deployable capability onto the front lines to complement existing weapon systems. “We can’t wait for testing to be complete before we take the next step. The pace of relevance is now,” Maddalena said. With highly specialist staff engaged on the project, he also notes that it's important to maintain continuity for them as well as build on the trial stage to improve sub-systems for the future program.
Although not assured of being involved beyond the trial, QinetiQ has commenced planning and preparations, building on their existing relationship with DSTG and a shared goal of accelerating the delivery of an Australian sovereign LDEW capability into service. As demonstrated by recent combat operations, this is a capability that Australia may need sooner rather than later.