India has successfully developed and demonstrated a 30-kilowatt laser weapon system capable of neutralizing aerial threats, marking a significant milestone in the country's defence technology sector. This achievement represents the culmination of nearly a decade-long effort by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to create indigenous directed-energy weapons (DEWs), positioning India among an elite group of nations with this advanced military capability.

The journey toward developing high-powered laser weapons in India began more than a decade ago, with early conceptualization dating back to at least 2010. During this initial phase, the Laser Science and Technology Centre (LASTEC) of DRDO set an ambitious goal to conduct trials of a tactical-level laser weapon within five years, targeting enemy threats at distances of 5-7 kilometers.

This two-track development approach focused on creating both a powerful laser source and perfecting the technology to control the laser beam for weaponisation. The program faced significant challenges in its early years, including developing robust cooling mechanisms for the system, ensuring focused beams toward distant targets, and perfecting the optoelectronics required for precision targeting.

By 2018, DRDO had achieved a notable milestone with the successful test of a 1-kilowatt laser weapon system mounted on a truck. During this test, conducted at Chitradurga in Karnataka, the laser beam successfully hit a metal target positioned 250 meters away, taking 36 seconds to penetrate the metal sheet. This demonstration, attended by then-defense minister Arun Jaitley, validated the basic principles of the technology while highlighting the significant work still required to develop a battlefield-ready system. At this stage, the laser source—described as the "heart of the system"—was still being imported from Germany, indicating India's technological dependencies in this critical area.

After years of persistent research and development, DRDO has recently completed trials of its 30-kilowatt laser weapon system, marking a significant leap in directed-energy weapon technology. This system, designated as the Mk-II(A), represents a thirty-fold increase in power from the earlier prototype and has demonstrated impressive capabilities against a variety of aerial threats. The system's development required overcoming numerous technical challenges, including creating indigenous high-power laser sources, developing advanced beam control systems, and engineering efficient cooling mechanisms to maintain operational capacity during extended use.

The 30-kilowatt Mk-II(A) laser weapon system developed by DRDO has demonstrated remarkable operational capabilities. With an effective range of 5 kilometers, the system can successfully neutralize various aerial threats including helicopters, drones, missiles, and even fixed-wing aircraft. The weapon incorporates advanced electronic warfare capabilities, allowing it to jam communication and control signals as well as positioning satellite signals employed by enemy drones, thus providing a multi-layered defense approach against unmanned aerial threats.

A key feature of India's laser weapon system is its exceptional mobility and adaptability. Weighing less than 8 tons, the system can be transported by air, rail, road, and sea, enabling rapid deployment to respond to emerging threats across diverse terrains. This design philosophy extends to its deployment configurations, as DRDO has developed both ground-based and shipborne versions of the laser weapon system. The Shipborne Laser Weapon System (SLWS) utilizes the same core technology but has been adapted for naval applications, offering the Indian Navy a cutting-edge defense capability against aerial threats. The system is also adaptable for integration onto trucks for use by the Army and Air Force, demonstrating its versatility across all branches of the Indian military.

The effectiveness of the 30-kilowatt laser weapon is significantly enhanced by its sophisticated targeting systems. It features an integral Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensor that provides 360-degree coverage, allowing for constant monitoring of the surrounding airspace. This sensor suite, combined with user-defined Detection, Recognition & Identification (DRI) ranges, ensures precise targeting capabilities even against small, fast-moving objects like drones. The system demonstrated these capabilities during a recent showcase in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, where it successfully intercepted various aerial targets including swarm drones.

India's successful development of high-powered laser weapons places it in an exclusive group of nations—alongside the United States, China, Israel, and Russia—that possess this advanced military technology. This achievement strengthens India's position as a growing defense technology innovator and enhances its strategic autonomy in military capabilities. Directed-energy weapons represent a paradigm shift in modern warfare, offering significant advantages over conventional kinetic weapons, including precision engagement, minimal collateral damage, and potentially lower cost per engagement.

The development of laser weapon systems addresses a critical gap in India's defence architecture, particularly against the growing threat of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missile systems. These weapons provide a cost-effective solution for neutralizing relatively inexpensive drones and other aerial threats that might otherwise require expensive conventional interceptors. The ability to jam communication signals further enhances the system's effectiveness against remotely piloted vehicles, providing a robust response to evolving asymmetric warfare tactics.

DRDO's ambitions in laser weapon technology extend beyond the current 30-kilowatt system. The organization is actively developing a significantly more powerful 300-kilowatt laser weapon system, reportedly named "Surya," which promises to revolutionize India's defensive capabilities. With an operational range of 20 kilometers, this system would represent a four-fold increase in range compared to the current system and would be capable of engaging even more challenging targets, including subsonic cruise missiles and various high-speed aerial threats.

A critical aspect of DRDO's laser weapon program has been the focus on developing indigenous technology. Early efforts involved the development of a 10kW Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) and work on a 30-100 kW vehicle-mounted COIL system. LASTEC also pursued the "Aditya" project, focusing on gas dynamic high-power laser-based directed-energy weapons. These parallel development tracks have strengthened India's technological foundation in this specialized field, reducing dependence on foreign sources and creating a sustainable path for future advancements.

India's successful development of high-powered laser weapon systems represents a remarkable technological achievement, transforming what was once considered science fiction into military reality. From modest beginnings with a 1-kilowatt prototype to the current 30-kilowatt operational system and plans for a 300-kilowatt "Surya" weapon, DRDO has demonstrated persistent innovation and technical expertise.

This capability significantly enhances India's defence posture, particularly against emerging threats such as drones and missiles, while establishing the country as a serious player in advanced military technology. As these systems move from development to deployment across India's armed forces, they will provide commanders with new options for countering aerial threats while further strengthening the nation's strategic autonomy and defence capabilities.

IDN