Are Laser Weapon Systems the Solution to Drone Dominated Conflicts?

Currently, there is no effective international legal consensus which defines the use of drones as weapons, despite a steep rise in their use by states, both in the proportion of modern air forces and volume of military operations. This trend is especially concerning due to their employment by non-state actors in hybrid warfare, as it has been reported it happened in the Red Sea. Until an effective legal consensus is agreed upon by states, developing a physical solution to drone attacks seems to be the United Kingdom’s objective. The UK’s new laser-based weapons system, DragonFire, provides a window into how states are preparing for a future of drone-dominated conflicts.

Comments Off on Are Laser Weapon Systems the Solution to Drone Dominated Conflicts?
Read more about the article Laser Weapons in International Humanitarian Law: Opportunities and Challenges
Wikimedia Commons

Laser Weapons in International Humanitarian Law: Opportunities and Challenges

Laser and directed energy weapons always seemed to belong to the future. However, in 2021, these weapons are increasingly being integrated into the arsenals of several states. In recent decades, multiple arms manufacturers have been researching and developing directed energy and laser weapons and, nowadays, they are steadily becoming more operational. Lockheed Martin, for instance, has stated that its directed energy technology is ready to be deployed by 2021. In this vein, Lockheed Martin announced in January 2021 that one of its laser weapon systems would be operationally integrated into the U.S. Navy.

Comments Off on Laser Weapons in International Humanitarian Law: Opportunities and Challenges