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New FIREFLY High-Energy Laser Weapon System Unveiled at AUSA 2024 to Counter Drone Threats.
At the AUSA 2024 event in Washington D.C., KORD introduced its new high-energy laser weapon system, FIREFLY. Designed to address the growing asymmetric threats posed by unmanned aerial systems (UAS), FIREFLY represents a significant technological advancement in aerial defense. Mobile and palletized, the system is specifically engineered to protect forward positions and critical infrastructure, thanks to its modular architecture and scalable power ranging from 5kW to 40kW.
The FIREFLY high-energy laser system features an adaptable optical architecture, enabling power adjustments from 5kW to 40kW (Picture source: Army Recognition)
FIREFLY is built on a common open architecture optimized to balance performance, reliability, maintainability, and transportability. With its modular Line Replaceable Units (LRU), the system adapts to a wide range of operational applications and provides the flexibility to configure, customize, and update its capabilities as required.
This design allows FIREFLY to interface with C3S systems such as FAAD and MEDUSA, as well as other autonomous detection systems like radars and optical sensors. Its modularity also simplifies maintenance at both the intermediate and field levels, reducing support costs through the use of non-developmental, commercially available components.
The FIREFLY high-energy laser system features an adaptable optical architecture, enabling power adjustments from 5kW to 40kW. It also offers increased resistance to laser damage and thermal effects, an extended magazine depth, and long continuous operation times, allowing it to neutralize multiple UAS threats simultaneously. To ensure target tracking, FIREFLY is equipped with an ISR payload that includes independent visible and infrared camera systems, enhanced by advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities for long-range threat detection and classification.
FIREFLY's capabilities have been rigorously tested over 34 months of continuous operation in challenging environments, demonstrating its resilience in extreme conditions, including temperatures ranging from -15°C to 35°C, and weather conditions such as rainstorms, snow, and sandstorms. It has been deployed on both fixed and unprepared sites, proving its adaptability and ease of transport and deployment.
To ensure target tracking, FIREFLY is equipped with an ISR payload that includes independent visible and infrared camera systems (Picture source: KORD)
This high-energy laser system is designed to be cost-effective, with minimal logistical support, due to its simplified maintenance processes. KORD has focused on reducing production costs and delivery times by utilizing commercially available components, ensuring enhanced reliability and rapid availability of fully deployable units. FIREFLY is offered at competitive commercial terms, making it an ideal solution for armed forces seeking a modern, ready-to-deploy defense technology.
The increasing use of drones in modern warfare is radically transforming the battlefield, introducing new threats that demand innovative countermeasures. Among these, directed energy (DE) weapons, particularly lasers, stand out for their precision and efficiency. These technologies are becoming essential tools for countering UAS, which are playing an increasingly critical role in contemporary conflicts.
UAS pose a significant threat to military personnel and equipment. Their low production cost, ability to carry diverse payloads, and reduced risk to operators make them particularly attractive to both state and non-state actors. Recent conflicts, such as those in Ukraine, Yemen, and Gaza, have highlighted the growing importance of drones in military operations.
In response to this growing threat, militaries are heavily investing in counter-UAS (CUAS) systems, where laser technologies, with their rapid neutralization capabilities and long-term cost-effectiveness, play a central role in defense strategies.