---
title: "European Military Contractor Tests New Laser Weapon"
description: "European military tech contractor Rheinmetall Defense successfully tested a laser turret capable of taking down drones and mortar fire late last year."
date: "2019-02-28"
modified: "2019-02-28"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/european-military-contractor-tests-laser-weapon"
categories:
  - "Military"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "conflict"
  - "lasers"
  - "military"
  - "the digest"
---

# European Military Contractor Tests New Laser Weapon

![European military tech contractor Rheinmetall Defense successfully tested a laser turret capable of taking down drones and mortar fire late last year.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/european-military-contractor-tests-laser-weapon.png>)
*\<em\>Image: Rheinmetall\</em\>*

## 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*](<https://www.armyrecognition.com/february_2019_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/rheinmetall_new_laser_weapon_station_successfully_tested.html>) — 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](<https://www.army-technology.com/projects/mantis/>) 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](<https://www.livescience.com/60876-laser-weapons-for-fighter-jets.html>), though for now lasers are limited to large turrets and not the beam rifles we see in movies.

America has them, [Russia has them](<https://futurism.com/russias-latest-weapon-laser-cannon>), 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](<https://www.armyrecognition.com/february_2019_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/rheinmetall_new_laser_weapon_station_successfully_tested.html>) \[*Army Recognition*\]

**More on lasers:** *[The Navy is Incinerating Hard Drives About Laser Weapon Research](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/navy-laser-weapon-research>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)