• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) carried out a successful trial of a laser-Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) system at Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool.

• With this, India joins a select group of nations having the new-age armament used to bring down hostile drones and unmanned aircraft.

• The US, China and Russia are known to have developed directed energy weapon (DEW) systems.

• CHESS DRDO conducted a successful field demonstration of the Land version of Vehicle mounted laser-Directed Weapon (DEW) MK-II(A) at National Open Air Range (NOAR) in Kurnool.

• DRDO’s Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS), Hyderabad, developed the system.

• The 30-kilowatt laser-based weapon system defeated the fixed wing UAV and swarm drones successfully causing structural damage and disabling the surveillance sensors. 

• The government has been focusing on the development of Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) and hypersonic weapons to bolster India’s defence prowess.

• This advancement carries substantial strategic implications for national security. 

• The Indian Air Force is already working towards integrating these weapon systems into airborne platforms.

Directed Energy Weapons

• Ever since the discovery of laser (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) in 1960, the real world has come very close to the science fiction images of bright light beams as the new generation weapon. 

• This has caught the imagination of mankind towards realisation of the ultimate ‘death ray’ weapon that could outmatch all other weapons. 

• Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) using high power lasers (HPL) are expected to make a major impact on the strategies for future wars and on the ways technological deterrence will play an important role in avoiding future wars.

• Directed Energy Weapons using HPL are a new generation of weapons that travel at the speed of light with unprecedented accuracy. This has opened up very interesting applications hitherto not possible with conventional technologies.

• India is among very few countries which are developing directed energy weapon systems to deal with future security challenges.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)