Farnborough-based, QinetiQ has announced a £20 million investment to accelerate the development and manufacturing of advanced high-energy laser technology, reinforcing the town's position as a leading centre for innovation, research and advanced engineering.
The investment will support the growth of QinetiQ's capabilities in Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) technology across its sites in Farnborough and Malvern. The programme includes expanding development facilities, increasing production capacity and broadening the company's portfolio of laser products to meet growing demand from UK and international defence markets.
As part of the announcement at the Farnborough International Airshow, QinetiQ unveiled HELENA™, the new brand name for its high-energy laser source technology. These laser systems form a critical component of modern directed energy weapons, which are increasingly being developed to protect against emerging threats such as unmanned aerial systems and drones.
QinetiQ has been at the forefront of directed energy weapon research for more than 25 years and is a key partner in the UK's DragonFire programme alongside MBDA and Leonardo. DragonFire is expected to see laser-directed energy weapon systems deployed on Royal Navy ships from 2027.
The investment will further strengthen Farnborough's reputation as one of the UK's foremost hubs for advanced technology and defence innovation. QinetiQ's existing directed energy weapon activities already support around 150 highly skilled jobs, with the latest investment expected to help secure future growth opportunities in the sector.
Steve Wadey, Group CEO, QinetiQ, said: “Directed Energy Weapons are quickly moving from development to deployment to change the game in battlefield economics against the drone threat, and QinetiQ has been at the forefront of this technology for two decades.
"The investment announced today demonstrates our commitment to accelerating both the development and manufacture of sovereign laser technology, ensuring we can meet the growing demand from the UK and our international allies and provide them with the operational advantage on the battlefield."
Share
