Following Raytheon UK’s announcement at the Farnborough International Airshow 2022 that it will establish the first Advanced Laser Integration Centre in Livingston, Scotland;

Harry Boneham, Aerospace Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

“Raytheon’s choice of Scotland as host for its European hub for the testing, fielding and maintenance of defensive high-energy weapons is a very positive move for the UK industry. Raytheon Technologies has licenses to export various configurations of its high-energy laser technology in the UK and throughout Europe, and so setting up a regional centre is a logical move. Not only will this help generate employment, but GlobalData notes that demand for high-energy weapons is likely to increase going forward.

“Notwithstanding the war in Ukraine, many conflict zones in the world today are seeing asymmetric threats—most notably from unmanned arial vehicles (UAVs) such as drones. For example, Houthi forces in Yemen have frequently used drones to target critical infrastructure such as airports and energy facilities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“There is a distinct tactical imperative for effective methods of countering unmanned systems. Lasers are a cost-effective countermeasure, and the technology needed to create these directed-energy weapons is no longer a pipedream; it is here now.

“The facility in Scotland is likely to support the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) directed-energy weapon, counter unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) capability. In 2021, Raytheon UK was awarded a demonstrator contract to provide a high-energy laser weapon system to the UK, intended to be installed on the UK Wolfhound land vehicle. Further procurements from the MoD for C-UAS capabilities are likely within the framework of the UK’s Integrated Review, and the facility in Scotland makes Raytheon a good candidate for further contracts.”