Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has contracted MBDA Deutschland to develop an airborne laser demonstrator, beginning work on the technical basis for a possible future Luftwaffe capability. The project will test whether a laser weapon can be adapted for aircraft, with key components of a laser pod designed for eventual flight operations. MBDA has not identified a host aircraft or disclosed the contract value or timetable.
The demonstrator is intended to address the integration challenges posed by aircraft size and weight limits and flight conditions. MBDA identifies drones and cruise missiles as potential targets for a future system. The contract covers technology development, not an operational weapon or a decision to equip a specific aircraft.
The work extends Germany’s laser-weapon development into the airborne domain. The programme’s laser output, schedule and intended platform remain undisclosed; no flight-test timetable has been confirmed.