Sun Apr 13 13:12:33 UTC 2025: ## India Joins Elite Club with Successful High-Power Laser Weapon Test
**Kurnool, India** – India has successfully tested a high-powered laser-based directed energy weapon (DEW), marking a significant advancement in its defense capabilities. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) announced the successful field demonstration of its Vehicle-mounted Laser Directed Weapon (DEW) MK-II(A) system, which successfully targeted and destroyed both a fixed-wing drone and a swarm of drones.
The system, developed by DRDO’s Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS), along with several other DRDO labs and Indian industries, utilizes a laser beam to disable and destroy targets with remarkable speed and precision. The test demonstrated the system’s ability to engage targets at long ranges, inflicting structural damage and disabling surveillance sensors.
DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat stated that this achievement places India among a select group of nations, including the United States, Russia, and China, possessing this high-power laser DEW technology. He emphasized that this is just the beginning, hinting at further development of “Star Wars” capabilities involving high-energy microwaves and electromagnetic pulses.
The laser DEW system offers several advantages over traditional weaponry. Its speed of engagement, precision, and lethality make it a potent counter-drone system, reducing reliance on expensive ammunition and minimizing collateral damage. The increasing use of drones in modern warfare, highlighted by conflicts like the war in Ukraine, underscores the importance of this technology. The cost-effectiveness and ease of operation of DEWs are also driving their adoption globally as a solution to low-cost drone attacks. The successful test represents a substantial leap forward for India’s defense preparedness in the face of evolving threats.
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