UK military wants lasers to stop drone swarms without running out of ammo
Project PANOPTES puts £5M on the table for an autonomous, vehicle-mounted defense
The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking anti-drone technology in its Project PANOPTES tender, aiming to protect troops from swarm attacks. The £5 million competition, run by UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), seeks an autonomous, laser-based Counter-Uncrewed Aerial System (C-UAS) force-protection capability. The MoD wants a system capable of detecting, tracking, and defeating low-cost unmanned aerial threats without running out of ammunition.
It prefers Laser Directed Energy Weapons (LDEW) but will consider other solutions. The focus is on NATO Class 1 uncrewed aerial systems, which weigh up to 150 kg, similar to those used in Ukraine's conflict. The initial stage of submissions closes on September 23, with detailed proposals invited for the most promising ideas. The MoD anticipates procuring an operational system, though past defense competitions have not always led to successful outcomes.
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