The UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has released never-seen-before declassified footage of the DragonFire Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) system engaging targets at the MoD’s remote Hebrides Range. The laser effector is fired from the smaller circular aperture, with the larger element the high-power optical sensor needed to keep the laser pointed directly on the target areas. In 2017, the UK Government committed around £30m to help develop an LDEW capability