International

Early testing of laser capability at DSTL is already melting mortars.

This research will feed into the Dragonfire programme - creating a laser capable of becoming an alternative to missiles - used for downing drones and cutting through the hulls of aircraft and armoured vehicles.

The technology is not yet ready to deploy, with another 5 to 10 years of research on the cards – and it won’t be a thing of sleek, space age beauty, looking more like a fridge on a truck than a thing of science fiction!

But while it might not look the part, its capability will be incredible.