An arms giant has opened a new test centre to develop a cutting edge ‘death ray’ laser guns for the military.
QinetiQ has opened a new ‘centre of excellence’ for the development and testing of advanced laser technology at its headquarters in Farnborough, Hampshire.
The new facility, named Dragonworks, will be a centre for all technologies associated with high-energy lasers for military or commercial applications.
QinetiQ has opened a new ‘centre of excellence’ for the development and testing of advanced laser technology at its headquarters in Farnborough, Hampshire
The first project to be undertaken at Dragonworks will be the assembly and testing of the supposed ‘death ray’ laser – dubbed the laser directed energy weapon (pictured is another laser shown at the Defence and Security Equipment International event in January)
Steve Wadey, QinetiQ chief executive, said: ‘Dragonworks introduces a brand new sovereign capability, which will significantly enhance the UK’s ability to operate and characterise high energy lasers.
‘It will help our customers to understand the opportunities and challenges associated with this disruptive technology, informing their critical strategic and tactical decisions.
‘We are investing in this asset as part of our strategy to modernise the UK’s test and evaluation services, which will ensure our customers can keep pace with rapid technological advances and maintain their competitive edge.’
The first project to be undertaken at Dragonworks will be the assembly and testing of the laser – dubbed the laser directed energy weapon (LDEW).
The new facility, named Dragonworks, will be a centre for all technologies associated with high-energy lasers for military or commercial applications (pictured is the Ministry of Defence building)
Components will arrive in early 2018, when QinetiQ will begin building the weapon’s laser source in the purpose-built ‘clean room’.
The room allows the company to work with sensitive optical equipment to be conducted away from contaminants and work on the UK’s only Reflective Hazard Assessment Tool (RHAT), designed to examine how laser energy is reflected from different surfaces.
Over the following months, the laser source will undergo a process of evaluation and adjustment before being integrated with a beam director.
Components will arrive at the Farnborough centre (above) early 2018, when QinetiQ will begin building the weapon’s laser source in the purpose-built ‘clean room’
The project will culminate in operation at full-power under test conditions inside the facility in summer 2018, before it is transported to MOD Shoeburyness for long-range outdoor trials later in the year.
Peter Cooper, the Project Technical Authority in Dstl, which manages the Dragonfire contract on behalf of the UK MOD, said: ‘This facility is a key step in delivering the Dragonfire project and reflects the continuing UK MOD investment, supported and enabled by industry funding, amounting to tens of millions of pounds in UK industrial skills and capabilities and underpinning UK prosperity.’