According to an industry expert who spoke to DefSec Middle East, the time has come to deploy the potential of laser weapons in the Gulf region.
As the region experiences groundbreaking changes in its defense capabilities, now has the potential to revolutionise modern warfare by making laser weapon capabilities a reality in the Gulf.
“The time is now to realise these capabilities here, in the UAE and the Gulf region,” said Tyler Griffin, Lockheed Martin’s director of advanced product solutions strategy and business development.
In the past eight years, the region has concentrated on enhancing its industrial defense capabilities by localizing and developing advanced technology, with particular emphasis on the development of next-generation weapons.
Mansour AlMulla, CEO and MD of UAE defence conglomerate EDGE, told DefSec Middle East in January that the company is now more focused on the development of autonomous capabilities, smart weapons, and artificial intelligence smart systems. The company also recently introduced directed energy weapon interception products.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is reported to have deployed Chinese-made laser air defence systems in March 2022. The system is procured to protect against reconnaissance UAVs and loitering munitions.
Griffin said that despite the slow adoption of laser weapons systems, the weapons are ready and capable. “One of the challenges is the adoption of this technology,” he said. However, Lockheed Martin’s over 40 years of research and development in this area shows that the time is now to bring these game-changing capabilities to the field.
The technology developed is an important 21st-century security solution that adds a layer to the integrated air and missile defence architecture, helping to defend a region’s critical infrastructure from potential raid scenarios, he added.
The precise engagement of the weapon system makes it stand out from other systems, as it can select the aim point in a given threat and scale the effect.
“It can dazzle or burn out cameras, which wouldn’t cause permanent damage, or bring down a threat out of the sky,” he said.
Laser weapon systems, he said, can shift the cost calculus of engagements, making it uniquely positioned to mitigate a swarm of low-cost, proliferated threats. The use of laser weapons for critical infrastructure protection has been gaining popularity in the GCC region in recent years, especially after the increased threats posed by Houthi militia attacks in Saudi and Emirati oil installations.
A report by Frost & Sullivan stated that the GCC’s laser weapons market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 15.6% between 2020 and 2025. The report also notes that Saudi Arabia is the largest market for laser weapons in the region, followed by the UAE.
Griffin emphasized that the industrial base and index are a great place to foster relationships and figure out the best way to accelerate readiness, adding that the whole end-to-end kill chain is what brings the laser weapon system forward.