South Korea will use laser weapons against drones
Provocations and verbal sword-rattling from the North are on the rise again. In preparation for potential drone attacks, South Korea is now announcing the deployment of Laser Weapons. This project is named after a famous film series.
According to South Korean reports, South Korea will be the first country in the world to use Laser Weapons in the military this year. With these futuristic weapons, South Korean officials plan to shoot down North Korean drones, the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced. This marks a turning point in the conflict with the North, the agency stated.
The "Star Wars Project" referred to by the South Koreans was developed in collaboration with Hanwha Aerospace. According to DAPA, these weapons are not only effective, cost-efficient - each shot costs approximately 1.35 Euro - but also silent and invisible. The Laser Weapons set the motors or electrical systems of drones on fire through a 10-20 second beam of light.
The Korean War from 1950 to 1953 ended with an armistice and a demilitarized zone, but not with a peace treaty. Both countries have repeatedly violated the armistice by sending drones into each other's airspace. Most recently, tensions between North and South Korea have risen again. North Korea sent balloons filled with debris to the South.
South Korea, in turn, resumed military drills at the land and sea borders with the North. Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un, called this "suicidal hysteria." In response to further provocations, she threatened unspecified military consequences.
Experts see the development of Laser Weapons as a global trend. Besides South Korea, countries like China and Great Britain are working on similar systems to counter unmanned aerial vehicles and potentially even rockets or satellites. For the German military, the defense company MBDA Germany is developing Laser Weapons for drone defense.
The arms industry has taken notice of South Korea's development of Laser Weapons, viewing it as a significant strategic move in the global arms race. Politically, this move by South Korea could be seen as a response to North Korea's continuous violations of the armistice and its aggressive actions towards the South. The North Korean arms industry may view South Korea's deployment of Laser Weapons as a provocation and a threat to its drone fleet.
