South Korea is set to become the first nation globally to deploy and utilize laser weapons within its military this year, specifically designed to counter North Korean drones, as announced by the country’s arms procurement agency on Thursday. South Korea has called its laser programme the “StarWars project”.
The South Korean military, in collaboration with Hanwha Aerospace, has developed these drone-zapping laser weapons, which are not only effective but also cost-efficient, with each shot costing a mere 2,000 won ($1.45).These weapons operate silently and invisibly, making them a formidable addition to the military’s arsenal.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said, “Our country is becoming the first country in the world to deploy and operate laser weapons, and our military’s response capabilities on North Korea’s drone provocation will be further strengthened,” highlighting the significance of these weapons in future battlefields.
The laser weapons function by targeting and burning down the engines or other electrical components of flying drones using focused light beams for a duration of 10 to 20 seconds, as explained by a DAPA spokesperson during a briefing.
In December, five North Korean drones breached South Korean airspace, prompting Seoul to deploy fighter jets and attack helicopters in an attempt to shoot them down. This incident marked the first such intrusion since 2017, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the two Koreas, which are technically still at war, with the Korean War having ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty in 1953.
The United States has acknowledged that both North and South Korea have violated the armistice governing their shared border by sending drones into each other’s airspace.
According to the US nonprofit think tank RAND Corporation, several countries, including South Korea, China, and the United Kingdom, are actively developing and deploying laser weapons, also known as directed energy weapons.
These weapons are garnering significant interest due to their potential to counter the growing threat of unmanned systems, as well as their ability to target missiles in flight or satellites in orbit.
The South Korean military, in collaboration with Hanwha Aerospace, has developed these drone-zapping laser weapons, which are not only effective but also cost-efficient, with each shot costing a mere 2,000 won ($1.45).These weapons operate silently and invisibly, making them a formidable addition to the military’s arsenal.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said, “Our country is becoming the first country in the world to deploy and operate laser weapons, and our military’s response capabilities on North Korea’s drone provocation will be further strengthened,” highlighting the significance of these weapons in future battlefields.
The laser weapons function by targeting and burning down the engines or other electrical components of flying drones using focused light beams for a duration of 10 to 20 seconds, as explained by a DAPA spokesperson during a briefing.
In December, five North Korean drones breached South Korean airspace, prompting Seoul to deploy fighter jets and attack helicopters in an attempt to shoot them down. This incident marked the first such intrusion since 2017, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the two Koreas, which are technically still at war, with the Korean War having ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty in 1953.
The United States has acknowledged that both North and South Korea have violated the armistice governing their shared border by sending drones into each other’s airspace.
According to the US nonprofit think tank RAND Corporation, several countries, including South Korea, China, and the United Kingdom, are actively developing and deploying laser weapons, also known as directed energy weapons.
These weapons are garnering significant interest due to their potential to counter the growing threat of unmanned systems, as well as their ability to target missiles in flight or satellites in orbit.