b'38 Partner News Spring 2022CorporateAn example of the high-energy laser weapons system, or HELWS, on the UK Wolfhound Land vehicleRaytheonIt can take down hostile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using nothing more than a highly concentrated beam of light. Its ammunition costs next to nothing. And, with a sufficient power source, it can fire introduces itsindefinitely.Raytheon Technologies high-energy laser weapons system (HELWS) is making its way to the UK. A demonstrator of the system high-energy laserwill be installed on the UK Wolfhound land vehicle and provided to the MOD for a six-month trial starting in the spring of 2023. The technology could significantly improve the UKs capabilities in directed energy, weapons systemfulfilling a key strategic objective of the recent UK Integrated Review.Directed energy has been an aim of the defence industry for the past 15 to 20 years, to the UK but only now has it started to get out of the laboratory, into the field and ready to be used, says Mike Cooper, Raytheon UKs Head of Strategy and Business Development (Novel Systems).'