For the first time, India has showcased its capability to shoot down fixed-wing aircraft, missiles and swarm drones using a 30-kilowatt laser-based weapon system. India has joined the list of selected countries, including the US, China, and Russia, that have shown such a capability. The Centre for High Energy Systems & Sciences CHESS, Hyderabad, a premier Centre of Defence Research and Development Organisation DRDO conducted a successful field demonstration of the Land version of Vehicle mounted Laser Directed Weapon DEW MK-II(A) at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday. DRDO said, it defeated the fixed wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Swarm Drones successfully causing structural damage and disable the surveillance sensors. It said, with this successful trial, India has joined the exclusive club of the Global powers who possess the high power Laser DEW System.

 
Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development and Chairman DRDO,  Dr. Samir V Kamat said, this is just the beginning of the journey. He expressed confidence that the synergy that this lab has achieved with other DRDO labs, industry and academia, it will take to the the destination soon.  Dr Kamat said, DRDO is also working on other high energy systems like high energy microwaves, electromagnetic pulse and on a number of technologies that will give the Star Wars capability.