Korea's 'Star Wars' era begins as laser drone killer enters mass production

The South Korean military will begin mass production of an anti-aircraft laser weapon capable of shooting down North Korean drones.

An anti-air laser weapon system Block-I to be deployed in 2024 [DEFENSE ACQUISITION PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION]

The South Korean military will begin mass production of an anti-aircraft laser weapon capable of shooting down North Korean drones.

The Laser Air Defense Weapon, Block-I, will be deployed to the military this year, making South Korea the first known country worldwide to operate such laser weapons in its armed forces.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced Thursday it signed a contract with Hanwha Aerospace on June 25 to commence mass production of the Block-I.

The Block-I neutralizes targets by directly irradiating them with a laser generated from optical fibers.

It is capable of precision strikes on small drones and multicopters at close range, including North Korean drones, according to DAPA.

The system tracks the trajectory of a drone detected by radar and irradiates it with a laser for about 10 to 20 seconds, applying heat energy exceeding 700 degrees Celsius (1,292 Fahrenheit) to fry the target drone's engine or electronic equipment.

It strikes quickly and then moves on to the next target.

The system operates without ammunition, relying solely on electricity. Each shot costs about 2,000 won ($1.45).

"The laser weapon is invisible, silent and does not need ammunition, making it highly cost-effective, unlike traditional guided missiles," said DAPA spokesperson Jo Yong-jin during a press briefing on Thursday. "This makes it particularly effective against low-cost targets such as small drones."

The Block-I project marks the inaugural initiative of Korea's "Star Wars" project, integrating laser technology into battlefield weaponry.

Development of the laser weapon began in August 2019 with a budget of 87.1 billion won. The Agency for Defense Development led the system development project, and Hanwha Aerospace served as the prototype company.

The project achieved a 100 percent success rate in live-fire tests and received combat suitability certification in April last year, DAPA said.

"By signing the mass production contract for the Block-I, our country has become a leading nation in deploying laser weapons in military operations," said Lee Dong-seok, head of DAPA's Guided Weapon Project Division. "This will significantly enhance our military's ability to respond to North Korea's drone provocations."

To address Block-I's limitations, such as its performance in adverse weather conditions like rain and fog, DAPA announced plans to develop a Block-II variant with a more powerful laser.

Additionally, the state arms procurement agency plans to develop core technologies to increase the power of laser oscillators to several hundred kilowatts. The system is expected to be a game-changer on the battlefield, potentially countering aircraft and ballistic missiles.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]