Mass Production of Laser Weapons

South Korea is likely to commence this year mass production of low-cost laser weapons that has displayed remarkable success in shooting down small drones during testing. Such laser weapons can be deployed to target North Korean drones.South Korea will have the unique distinction of becoming the first country to deploy and operate such weapons in its military. Not surprisingly the laser programme is named as “Star Wars project”. Development of the laser weapon started in the year 2019 and so far around 87.1 billion won have been invested in the Star Wars project. Seoul’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) recently inked an agreement worth about US $ 72 million with South Korea’s defense company Hanwha Aerospace to produce the weapon system. Details of the contract are not available in the public domain.

North Korea’s Drone Attacks

The South Korean military is seeking to strengthen its response capabilities against small unmanned aerial vehicles after an aerial border incursion when 5 North Korean drones intruded across the Korean border in December 2022. The laser weapon is capable of defending against small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and multicopters at a short distance by firing laser beams generated by fiber optics at targets.The laser weapon called Block-1 is not visible to the eye , does not produce any sound  or  require separate ammunition and the weapon system can operate as long as electricity is available.

The laser weapons  can neutralise drones through a mechanism of burning down engines or other electric equipment in drones with beams of light for 10 to 20 seconds. A laser beam is fired raising a targeted area’s temperature to over 700 degrees Celcius and disabling internal components of the drone such as its engine or battery.

Dirt Cheap Technology

A single firing is estimated to cost only about 2,000 won or around $ 1.50 as disclosed by DAPA .The South Korean military views the laser weapon system as a “game changer” in future warfare if its output is increased to respond to ballistic missile and aircraft threats.

Size and Shape of the Laser Weapon

As per imagery made available by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration the size of the laser weapon is as much as a shipping container with a laser mounted on top and what appears to be a radar or tracking device mounted on one side of the platform. The DAPA informs that each unit measures 9 meters by 3 meters by 3 meters (29.5 feet by 9.8 feet by 9.8 feet), and fires laser rays that are difficult if not impossible to detect before impact.

The strategic organisation worldwide are taking keen and substantial interest in this laser weapon advancement of South Korea to counter the proliferation of unmanned systems as well as targeting missiles in flight or satellites in orbit and effectively neutralising Houthi Yemen based drone and UAV attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
Credit ; The Korea Times

Ukraine and Red Sea Drone Devastation

The laser Block-I weapon itself will be rolled off the production line this year perhaps inspired by the phenomenal success of small and rudimentary drones available on racks .Such commercially available drones have brought destruction on multimillion-dollar items of military hardware including tanks in conflict zones  of Ukraine, Red Sea shipping lanes and the Middle East .Militaries have typically responded by trying to take out low-cost drones with defensive systems that cost tens of thousands of dollars per strike. A weapon that could do the same for practically pennies would be a big boost to the country that can deploy it.

South Korea is the first country to publicly acknowledge it will deploy a mass-produced laser weapon with firm timelines. Britain had displayed a few months earlier a laser weapon that the UK military claims can inflict a lethal strike at an incoming missile or aircraft defense at around $13 a shot. The US military industrial complex lags behind and in the year 2022 the US Navy successfully tested a high-energy laser system against a target representing a cruise missile. Such development of mass produced laser weapon technology may revolutionise weapon defense systems worldwide.

 

Authored by : Nadir Mumtaz

Credit:Sources 

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-deploy-starwars-laser-weapons-targeting-north-korean-drones-2024-07-11/

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/11/asia/south-korea-antidrone-lasers-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240711002800315

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/07/113_378442.html