The UK Ministry of Defence has launched Project PANOPTES, a program to field an autonomous, vehicle-mounted system that can defeat small drones and drone swarms. Up to 5 million pounds is available for multiple Phase 1 contracts, with work expected to begin in November or December, according to Army Recognition.

A laser directed-energy weapon is the preferred technology, though alternative novel approaches remain eligible. The target is Class 1 unmanned aircraft, and the system must handle the full chain on its own: detect, track, identify, decide and defeat. It should be operable by two people with less than two weeks of training, and integration onto uncrewed ground vehicles is a stated objective.

PANOPTES builds on the Land Laser Directed Energy Weapon Demonstrator, which was tested on a Wolfhound vehicle in July and December 2024, with engagements beyond one kilometer. The MOD wants solutions that can be accelerated into operational use within two years, through minimum viable product and minimum deployable capability stages.

The driver is cost. NATO militaries are worried about spending expensive interceptor missiles on cheap drones, and a laser has a low cost per shot once it is built. The open question is whether a vehicle-mounted system can hold up in the field against swarms, weather and dust.

Source: Army Recognition.