After a one-year test phase at sea, the defence companies Rheinmetall and MBDA Deutschland have transferred a laser demonstrator for the navy to the laser competence centre of the Weapons and Munitions Technical Centre (WTD 91) in Meppen for further testing.

An operational laser weapon system for the German Navy can be available on this basis from 2029 and thus offer a cost-effective and powerful supplement to conventional missiles.

Together with WTD 91 during acceptance, the demonstrator was successfully commissioned at the laser competence centre in Meppen. The containerised demonstrator has already been successfully tested several times - over the course of a year - under real conditions at sea on board the frigate SACHSEN.

The laser container has now been put into operation with the help of WTD 91 in Meppen and can be used there for further testing of land-based drone defence.

The laser weapon system opens up new possibilities for defence against drones and small and fast targets. It is the most pressing challenge of our time. An operational laser weapon system complements barrel weapons and guided missiles and is particularly suitable for defence against drones, swarms of drones and attacking speedboats as well as guided missiles at close and short range. In the future, it can also be equipped with more powerful capabilities and used to destroy supersonic guided missiles and rockets as well as mortar and artillery shells. It is "Designed and Made in Germany".

The two companies have been working together on this since 2019.