Soldiers successfully tested the Raytheon laser weapon at
moving targets at MoD range in Wales
LONDON, Dec. 11,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon UK, part of RTX's
(NYSE: RTX) Raytheon business, announced that 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
programme and saw British soldiers operating Raytheon's HELWS by
successfully tracking and neutralising 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", said 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 armoured 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 programme 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", said
Matt Cork, Head of Team Hersa. "By
integrating advanced directed energy technologies onto armoured
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 defence capability."
About Raytheon
Raytheon, an RTX business, is a leading provider of defense
solutions to help the U.S. government, our allies and partners
defend their national sovereignty and ensure their security. For
more than 100 years, Raytheon has developed new technologies and
enhanced existing capabilities in integrated air and missile
defense, smart weapons, missiles, advanced sensors and radars,
interceptors, space-based systems, hypersonics and missile defense
across land, air, sea and space.
About RTX
With more than 185,000 global employees, RTX pushes the limits of
technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our
world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace,
Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation,
engineering integrated defense systems, and developing
next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help
global customers address their most critical challenges. The
company, with 2023 sales of $69
billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
For questions or to schedule an interview, please
contact corporatepr@rtx.com
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SOURCE RTX