Defence conducts live-fire testing of Fractl portable high energy laser

Sydney-based online journal Defence Connect reports that the ADF has conducted live-fire testing of a directed energy weapons system against unmanned drones in Victoria.

The Defence Counter-UAS Directed Energy Weapons System, manufactured by high-power laser startup AIM Defence, was demonstrated with assistance from company employees and ADF personnel at Puckapunyal Military Area, Victoria from May 27 to 31.

The testing exercise is considered the final stage of a joint Army and RAAF Robotic and Autonomous Systems Implementation & Coordination Office (RICO) and Jericho Disruptive Innovation investment spanning the past five years.

In March this year Defence announced that AIM Defence had been contracted to produce a deployable directed energy system for use against drones by the ADF. The $4.9 million contract represents the first time the ADF has acquired a directed energy prototype for ongoing field-based counter-drone trials and evaluation.

“Countering drones and other autonomous weapons systems has emerged as one of the most critically needed capabilities for militaries worldwide,” according to AIM Defence co-founder Jessica Glenn. “For the past four years, AIM Defence has been working with Australia’s defence innovation ecosystem to build a cost-effective, high-precision and deployable directed energy system.

“Fractl:2 is the culmination of that effort.”

The Fractl:2 relies on the company’s enhanced eye safety tactical directed energy laser which limits the blinding risk associated with typical one-micron systems – making it vastly safer in the field than comparable high-power laser systems. The company expects Fractl:2 to be in the hands of ADF operators by mid-2024.

The Fractl:2 DE system is reportedly powerful enough to burn through steel and precise enough to track and shoot down a drone travelling at 100km/h a kilometre or more away, according to AIM Defence. Portable and battery powered, Fractl:2 can shoot down over 50 drones per charge and can be plugged into a wall socket for continuous operation. It has the added advantage of near-zero usage cost as light-based energy replaces ammunition.