Global defense and security company QinetiQ and Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group have demonstrated the capability of a scalable high-power laser optical chain prototype from QinetiQ Laboratories in Adelaide, South Australia. The test paves the way for developing sovereign Directed Energy Defensive Systems to counter drone threats.
Designed by DSTG and manufactured by QinetiQ, the prototype combines high-power laser amplifiers and QinetiQ’s beam combination technology to tackle dangers associated with unmanned aerial systems. It uses directed energy, one of Australia’s six Defence Innovation, Science and Technology strategic priorities.
“This achievement is an Australian first. Our aim is to accelerate the development of sovereign high-energy laser technology so it can be offered to the Australian Defence Force, enhancing their ability to manage current and emerging threats,” said Gary Stewart, chief executive of the Australian sector at QinetiQ.
DSTG, under the Department of Defence, leads national efforts to explore new, innovative solutions that would protect citizens from adversarial threats.
QLabs, which launched in November 2024, comes with a software development environment and a flexible lab design to support a wide range of modern software engineering and rapid prototyping and testing projects. At the time, Stewart described the facility as a “significant milestone in our efforts to grow Australia’s sovereign industrial ecosystem.