Aerospace firm Raytheon UK has announced that it will establish an advanced laser integration center in Livingston, Scotland, beginning next year.

The facility will focus on testing, fielding, and maintenance of defensive high-energy laser weapon systems.

The move comes as the demand for counter-drone technology continues to increase due to emerging threats such as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

“We’ve all seen that asymmetric threats like drones, rockets, artillery, and mortars are a serious problem, and demand is spiking for cost-effective lasers to defeat them,” Raytheon Senior Director Michael Hofle said .

He explained that building an advanced integration hub for counter-drone systems reflects the company’s commitment to delivering laser weapons to defend the skies against adversarial threats.

Raytheon revealed that it has the licenses to export high-energy laser technologies to Europe and other parts of the world.

According to the company, the new center will support existing counter-drone programs and help meet accelerated delivery schedules for laser weapons around the globe.

The hub would also ensure that fielded systems can be quickly maintained and repaired.

Raytheon Managing Director John Gallagher stated that high-energy lasers could make up as much as 30 percent of air defense infrastructures in the future, so establishing a new regional facility is an “important step” in this development.

“This center will help position the UK as a leading nation in directed energy and ensure that the technology continues to be brought out of the lab and into the operational field,” he stressed.

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