UAV event in Korea, Republic of on Tue 30th July 2024

On July 30, South Korea’s state arms agency, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), showcased the strike capabilities of the nation’s newly developed laser weapon, designed to neutralize enemy drones.

According to the Yonhap news agency, this demonstration, held for a group of reporters, marked the first public display of the advanced defense system. The event took place at a major weapons test site in Taean County, 108 kilometers southwest of Seoul.

During the demonstration, a DJI Phantom 4 small multi-rotor drone hovered over the coastal waters, approximately one kilometer away from an imposing dark-green container that housed the laser weapon system.

Within seconds, the drone was engulfed in flames, shook violently, and then plummeted 20 meters onto the rooftop of a nearby seaboard building, hitting it with a loud thump.

The demonstration featured three live-fire tests, where the weapon system, similar in size to a shipping container, successfully downed its targets using an invisible directed-energy beam.