RTX's Raytheon High-Energy Laser Weapon System fired by British Army for first time

Raytheon UK, part of RTX's Raytheon business, announced its High-Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWS) completed a successful live-firing with the British Army directed against moving aerial targets.

The trial, conducted at a military range in Wales, is the latest stage of the Ministry of Defence's Land Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) demonstrator program and saw British soldiers operating Raytheon's HELWS by successfully tracking and neutralizing moving aerial targets.

"Our High-Energy Laser Weapon System has been used in operations globally, and now the British Army is experimenting with this game-changing capability", says James Gray, chief executive and managing director of Raytheon UK. "The success of this test is the result of the skill, dedication, and vision of our scientists and engineers who have collaborated with the British Army to help fulfil its commitment to staying at the forefront of technological innovation."

The experiment marks the first time the British Army has tested a high-energy laser weapon mounted on an armored vehicle, while also having soldiers trained on the weapon's targeting and tracking technologies.

Raytheon's HELWS was the first laser weapon integrated and fired from a land vehicle in the UK, as part of a joint program between Raytheon UK and Team Hersa (the joint LDEW enterprise between Defence and Science Laboratory and Defence Equipment and Support).

The system operates by directing an intense beam of energy toward its target, using advanced sensors and tracking systems to maintain lock-on and accuracy in real time. It has proved effective in real-world conditions, validating its potential as a game-changing technology in modern warfare.

"This milestone demonstrates the power of collaboration between Dstl, DE&S industry partners, and the British Army", says Matt Cork, Head of Team Hersa. "By integrating advanced directed energy technologies onto armored platforms, we're not only proving the feasibility of these game-changing systems but also accelerating their path to operational readiness. It's an exciting step forward in redefining the future of defense capability."