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International defence company QinetiQ has secured a £67 million contract for the delivery of the United Kingdom’s first laser directed energy weapons to the Royal Navy from 2027.
The contract follows successful trials of the UK’s DragonFire laser weapon at the QinetiQ-operated MOD Hebrides range in November last year.
After those trials, UK Defence Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard announced a £316 million contract, awarded to DragonFire industry partnership prime MBDA for the production and delivery of the first DragonFire units. These will be integrated on to Royal Navy ships from 2027 as an extension of existing air defence capabilities.
As a DragonFire industry partner, QinetiQ was awarded £67 million by MBDA, enabling QinetiQ to continue its unique role in developing and producing the vital laser source of the DragonFire system.
The contract also leverages QinetiQ’s expertise in ensuring the safe testing of this critical military capability of the future.
“We are proud of the vital role we continue to play in delivering Europe’s leading laser weapon technology to our warfighters,” QinetiQ Group chief executive officer Steve Wadey said.
“This contract is a testament to QinetiQ’s expertise in developing, testing and engineering novel and disruptive technologies at pace, and is a welcome milestone as industry and government work together to accelerate the adoption of laser directed energy weapons.”
The DragonFire contract supports approximately 120 QinetiQ jobs, predominantly in the west and south of England, and more than 100 UK suppliers, 50 of which are small and medium-sized companies.
