South Korea will deploy laser weapons to destroy North Korean drones this year. This will make it the first country in the world to deploy and use such weapons in the army. South Korea has called its laser program the «StarWars» project.
The laser weapon for destroying drones was developed by the South Korean military in cooperation with Hanwha Aerospace. It is effective and cheap to use. One shot from it costs about $1.45. Its other advantages include quiet operation and invisibility.
«Our country is becoming the first country in the world to deploy and use laser weapons, and our army’s ability to respond to North Korea’s drone provocations will be further strengthened», the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said.
Laser weapons shoot down UAVs in flight, burning engines or other electrical equipment with beams of light for 10-20 seconds, the DAPA spokesman explained at the briefing.
As a reminder, the fighting in the Korean War of 1950-1953 ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, and the creation of a demilitarized zone between the two Koreas. North and South Korea periodically violate the truce that governs their common border by sending drones into each other’s airspace. In December last year, 5 North Korean drones flew into South Korea, prompting Seoul to deploy fighter jets and attack helicopters in an attempt to destroy them.
Source: reuters
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