European Military Contractor Tests New Laser Weapon

This laser turret can take down drones and mortar shells.

All Batteries Fire!

Rheinmetall Defense, a Europe-based military technology contractor, recently tested a fully-functional laser weapon system.

The laser turret was able to target and eliminate nearby drones and mortar shells during a December test near Zürich, according to Army Recognition — a terrifying vision of the future of warfare.

Teamwork

The laser is expected to be customized and deployed during ground, air, and naval-based combat.

Specifically, it was designed to supplement the NBS MANTIS anti-air system that the German military deployed to protect its outposts in Afghanistan, according to Army Recognition.

War Never Changes

Laser weapons are moving from the realm of the cool research experiment to the battle-tested military technology, though for now lasers are limited to large turrets and not the beam rifles we see in movies.

America has them, Russia has them, and with Rheinmetall Defense's successful tests, so too will Germany and other European powers that commission the defense company.

READ MORE: Rheinmetall new laser weapon station successfully tested [Army Recognition]

More on lasers: The Navy is Incinerating Hard Drives About Laser Weapon Research