MBDA Deutschland to Develop Airborne Laser Weapon Demonstrator

MBDA announced on November 2, 2026, that Germany’s BAAINBw had awarded MBDA Deutschland a contract to develop an airborne laser weapon demonstrator. The project will examine aircraft integration and establish technical foundations for a possible future Luftwaffe capability.

Key details

• MBDA plans to develop key components for an aircraft laser pod designed with flight use in mind.
• MBDA identifies drones and cruise missiles as potential targets for airborne laser systems.
• The company says Germany has treated laser technology as a strategic research priority since 2019.
• BAAINBw signed a contract in July 2026 with ARGE HEL for a high-energy laser system intended for German Navy ships. ARGE HEL brings together MBDA Deutschland and Rheinmetall Waffe Munition.
• The companies expect the naval laser system to become operational in 2029.
• A laser demonstrator spent more than a year aboard the German frigate Sachsen and fired over 1,000 shots at aerial, maritime and land targets during testing.

MBDA plans to develop key components for an aircraft laser pod designed for flight use.

Why it matters

The airborne project extends Germany’s laser research toward aircraft integration, alongside a separate naval effort. An aircraft-mounted system designed to address drones and cruise missiles would bring the technology into an airborne role, while the demonstrator work focuses on the components and integration challenges required for that possibility.