Airborne Laser Weapon For Tactical Aircraft Being Developed By Germany

Germany's procurement agency BAAINBw awarded MBDA Deutschland a contract to build a pod-based airborne laser demonstrator for potential future use on Luftwaffe aircraft. The project will develop the technological foundations for engaging drones and cruise missiles, with essential components already entering design. Adapting directed-energy equipment for flight requires addressing size, weight, power, cooling and resistance to vibration, beyond the conditions demonstrated by Germany's shipborne laser trials. The announcement did not identify a host aircraft, laser output, contract value or development timetable, and the award concerns a demonstrator rather than an operational aircraft weapon.