MBDA Deutschland has successful tested the beam guidance and tracking system of a high-energy laser effector under real environmental conditions.

The demonstrator effector, which bundles numerous laser sources into a single beam, was evaluated over 10 days in the North Sea, tested in simulated engagements of pre-set airborne targets, MBDA-D said. The target -- a quadcopter -- was scanned with the laser target illuminator, and an aim point was held on the target for an extended period while it performed a variety of maneuvers at a various of ranges.

"These successful tests demonstrated that our laser effector has achieved a high degree of technological maturity," said Thomas Gottschild, managing director of MBDA Deutschland GmbH. "This puts us in a leading position in the development of laser effectors."

MBDA-D said the tests verified the functionality of the overall system and the performance capability of an improved tracking system, even in conditions of heavy rain and storms.

During night trials, the demonstrator proved capable of acquiring and tracking targets under conditions of poor visibility; simulated defense against a swarming attack, which required rapid switching between targets approaching from different directions.

The new system is integrated in a standard container and is equipped with a 360-degree beam guidance system.