South Korea tests advanced laser weapon targeting drone threats

South Korea has conducted its first tests of the future Laser-Based Anti-Aircraft Weapon Block-I system, aimed at providing economical countermeasures against a wide range of targets compared to current solutions. Here’s what we know about the South Korean laser.

The South Korean laser tested is a 20 kW construction designed for use by the South Korean ground forces. It is a stationary solution, while the Block-II variant is expected to be mobile. A Block-III variant with more power is also being developed for use on ships.

These systems will complement 40 mm anti-aircraft and anti-drone gun systems. Those loaded with anti-tank ammunition are better suited to combat more heavily armoured targets, which the laser cannot handle. South Korea is similarly developing future weapons to the Americans and British.

Laser weapons, a standard element of the science fiction universe, are becoming closer to reality. Once introduced into service, they will largely replace classical anti-aircraft gun systems because eliminating targets such as drones or cruise missiles will be simpler and cheaper.

In the case of lasers, we have point accuracy at a distance of a few miles due to the speed of light. The only downside is beam dispersion over distance, which affects its power and susceptibility to weather conditions. For lasers, the range will be lower on foggy or rainy days due to faster beam dispersion.

Moreover, the cost of shooting down a target is just a few dollars compared to systems like the Skynex series, where several rounds can cost several thousand CAD, depending on the type of ammunition. By contrast, with lasers, the only cost is for electric power.

This low cost eliminates light targets such as drones or cruise missiles; essentially, only heavily armoured targets like penetrating warheads or air bombs can withstand illumination long enough to strike their target.

Lasers eliminate their targets through the action of high temperatures, which can melt, for example, a drone or cause the detonation of a cruise missile warhead or rocket fuel reserve by heating the missile’s casing. Laser weapons will provide South Korea with a significant increase in capabilities against particularly cheap and mass-produced drones.