Written question asked by Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK) on Thursday, 3 September 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 7 September 2026. It was answered by Luke Pollard (Labour) on Friday, 11 September 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Driverless Vehicles: Lasers

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to adapt laser directed-energy weapons for use on autonomous vehicles.

Answer: Recent conflicts in the Middle East have highlighted the growing threat posed by low-cost, massed drone attacks. Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) have the potential to provide a highly effective and cost-effective response to these threats, which is why the Ministry of Defence is investing £490 million over the next four years to bring these capabilities into service. DEW technologies have the potential to operate across a range of operational environments and roles. The Department continues to assess the most effective ways to deploy and integrate directed energy weapons across different environments and platforms to address threats and meet evolving military requirements.

Secondary information