British firm QinetiQ invests £20 million in laser weapon technology, unveils HELENA brand
QinetiQ, a British defence firm, announced a £20 million company-funded investment to accelerate the development and production of high-energy laser directed energy weapon technology. The investment will expand capabilities at its Farnborough and Malvern sites, increasing production capacity for both UK and international markets. At the Farnborough International Airshow, QinetiQ unveiled HELENA, the new brand for its coherent beam combination High Energy Laser Source products, a critical component for laser weapon systems designed to defend against drones and advanced threats. QinetiQ is a key member of the UK's DragonFire consortium alongside MBDA and Leonardo, which is delivering 50-kilowatt-class laser systems to Royal Navy ships from 2027, accelerated by the Ministry of Defence. CEO Steve Wadey emphasized the company's two-decade leadership in directed energy weapons and commitment to meeting growing sovereign and allied demand.
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