Military Laser Systems Market Forecasts to 2028 - Global Analysis By Platform (Land, Airborne, Space, Naval and Other Platforms), By Output Power (<10 kW, 10 kW TO 100 kW and >100 kW), By Technology, By Application, By End User and By Geography

According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Military Laser Systems Market is accounted for $4.85 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $8.93 billion by 2028 growing at a CAGR of 10.7% during the forecast period. Due to their deployment in severe conditions, military laser systems have direct-to-diode sources and a ruggedized architecture for significant shock and vibration. Targeting systems, night vision equipment, distraction equipment, and psychological warfare all make use of military lasers to confuse and dazzle the opposition. Due to increasing geopolitical situations, the military is putting state-of-the-art laser systems onboard a variety of military equipment to support the combat and non-combat requirements of military personnel.

Market Dynamics:

Driver:

Significant investment by the government on weapon modernization

High-energy laser weapons are predicted to become increasingly common as a result of growing national security concerns brought on by a rise in unmanned aerial vehicle attacks, warlike circumstances, and ongoing disputes with neighbours. These weapons are gradually being incorporated into military platforms, including space interceptors, armoured vehicles, attack helicopters, navy ships, and military aircraft. The development of laser weapons has recently been pursued by several defence manufacturers and integrators.

Restraint:

High development and platform integration costs

Due to the requirement for adequate time for research and development, infrastructure for building laser systems from scratch, field testing, demonstration, and installation, developing military laser systems comes at a high initial cost. Additionally, the design and manufacture of military laser systems are complex and demand a high level of technical skill, resulting in significant production costs. These systems also need to be frequently maintained and upgraded due to the high level of complexity and precision they must have, which raises the overall cost.

Opportunity:

Increasing use of UAVs for military purposes

Because of their expanding employment by military forces from various nations for tasks including target monitoring, battle management, ISR, and combat operations, among others, the need for unmanned aerial vehicles has grown. Modern UAV technology is employed for a variety of tactical and warfare operations. The MQ-4 Reaper, MQ-1B Predator, QF-4 Aerial Target, RQ-4 Global Hawk, AeroVironment Wasp AE, RQ-1 Predator, BQM-155 Hunter, and CL-289 Piver are a few typical examples of military drones or UAVs. The US and Israel, respectively, have created UAVs like the Predator and the Heron. With an increase in military budgets, it is projected that military spending on UAV technology will rise, providing growth prospects for specialised drone manufacturers and software developers.

Threat:

Multiplatform military laser system development's associated complexity

The operational effectiveness of laser systems is negatively impacted by the difficulty of integrating traditional and contemporary technologies. The need for multiplatform laser systems is now rising; however, the complexity involved in the design and development of multiplatform military laser systems will probably cause difficulties for the key participants. Additionally, since every military system has its own regulations and design guidelines, it is challenging to integrate the same laser systems across many platforms. Designing and integrating laser systems for each unique platform takes time and effort, which may cause a company to stray from its primary business operations.

COVID-19 Impact:

Due to local prohibitions and subsequent needs for important exports from high-income countries, COVID-19 is likely to have a negative impact on conflict dynamics in the short to medium term. This is because of its adverse and asymmetric economic impact on low- and middle-income countries. Additionally, it has had an impact on social resilience, regional capability planning, and non-military threats that have received higher emphasis. The aerospace and defence (A&D) production sector was exposed to an unprecedented supply chain shock as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in temporary price increases and delays for crucial components across numerous platforms. However, the defence industry remained stable as a result of the most advanced nations' consistent increases in their defence spending.

The solid state lasers segment is expected to be the largest during the forecast period

Because they are most effective for defence operations such as destroying and lighting targets for air defence, ship protection, mine destruction, and optoelectronic warfare, solid-state lasers are predicted to generate the largest revenue throughout the projected period. Additionally, solid-state lasers operate using only electrical energy, making them simpler to use than chemical lasers. These elements are enhancing the segments growth.

The directed energy weapons segment is expected to have the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Due to the cost-effective, high-speed, and highly accurate technique of combating airborne threats compared to employing a very expensive missile to destroy moderate-level threats, including small drones, directed energy weapons are predicted to experience a lucrative growth rate throughout the forecast period. The current DEWs are concentrated on defensive tasks, including protecting vital infrastructure from missiles, drones, and boats. To broaden the existing applications of DEWs, defence companies and organisations are funding research and development. Due to the global military arms race, the market for directed energy weapons will experience growth in the future.

Region with largest share:

Because of the region's mature defence sector and excellent R&D infrastructure, North America is predicted to have the largest share during the projected period. The nation has recently launched various programmes to create laser-based weapon technology. A variety of laser-based weapon and defence systems are being installed by the military on aeroplanes, ships, and ground vehicles. Defence contractors Northrop Grumman and Raytheon provided the US Army with their first high-energy laser weapon for testing in September 2022 in order to evaluate short-range air defence (SHORAD) against a variety of simulated threats and combat scenarios.

Region with highest CAGR:

Due to the rising demand and development of military laser weapons in European nations including the UK, Russia, Germany, and France, it is estimated that the Europe region will experience profitable growth throughout the projected period. The expansion of this region is being fueled by investments in R&D initiatives and an increase in the defence budgets of the governments of France and Germany for the creation of advanced weapons. Such advancements are anticipated to fuel the region's growth during the anticipated period.

Key players in the market:

Some of the key players in Military Laser Systems market include: BAE Systems plc, Elbit Systems Ltd., Frankfurt Laser Company, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., Leidos, Inc., Lockheed Martin Corporation, MBDA, Newport Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Quantel Group, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Rheinmetall AG, THALES and The Boeing Company.

Key Developments:

In April 2023, the US Department of Defence (DoD) selected NUBURU Inc. of Centennial for a position on the multiple-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for the fabrication and delivery of prototypes and equipment in support of solid-state high-energy laser (HEL) weapon systems. NUBURU Inc. conducts research, development, design, and manufacturing of high-power, high-brightness blue lasers.

In March 2023, Blighter Surveillance Systems was awarded a contract to supply its multi-mode A800 3D e-scan radars to Raytheon UK as part of a laser weapon project with the UK MoD.

In March 2023, Raytheon Technologies Corporation received a USD 230 million contract from the US Air Force to produce and deliver 1500 StormBreaker smart weapons. The Stormbreaker is a network-enabled weapon system that provides unprecedented capability against moving targets, regardless of all weather conditions, using its tri-mode seeker and multi-effects warhead.

In March 2023, Northrop Grumman Corporation received an initial production and operations contract from the US Marine Corps to develop a laser-based Next Generation Handheld Targeting System (NGHTS). NGHTS is a device that would help Marines to improve their target identification and designation capabilities.

In February 2023, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) (India) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Thales Group to provide support in establishing a manufacturing facility in India. This facility will boost the development of precision-strike 70mm laser-guided rockets (FZ275 LGR).

In September 2022, BAE Systems plc introduced a cost-effective, compact laser weapon system that provides precise and advanced air defense capabilities for war fighters against unmanned aerial systems.

In July 2022, Northrop Grumman Corporation completed the preliminary design review of a high-energy laser using coherent beam-combining technology. This technology allows the combination of high-power laser beams into a single beam that can be scaled for maximum power.

Platforms Covered:

• Land
• Airborne
• Space
• Naval
• Other Platforms

Output Powers Covered:

• <10 kW
• 10 kW TO 100 kW
• >100 kW

Technologies Covered:

• Fiber Laser
• Free-electron Laser
• Gas Laser
• Liquid Laser
• Semiconductor Laser
• Solid-state Laser
• Chemical Laser
• Diode Laser
• CO2 Laser
• Other Technologies

Applications Covered:

• Non-weapons
• Weapons
• Markeing Targets
• Missile Defense
• Guiding Munitions
• Blinding Troops
• Electro Optical Countermeasures (EOCM)
• Other Applications

End Users Covered:

• Communication System
• Defensive Counter measures
• Directed Energy Weapons
• Navigation, Guidance & Control
• Target Designation and Ranging
• Other End Users

Regions Covered:

• North America
  • US
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • Italy
  • France
  • Spain
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • Japan
  • China
  • India
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • South Korea
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• South America
  • Argentina
  • Brazil
  • Chile
  • Rest of South America
• Middle East & Africa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE
  • Qatar
  • South Africa
  • Rest of Middle East & Africa

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