Rheinmetall and MBDA Win Contract for German Navy Laser Weapon

Germany’s defense procurement office BAAINBw has awarded a contract to ARGE HEL, a joint working group formed by Rheinmetall and MBDA Deutschland, to develop a high-energy laser weapon system for the German Navy. The agreement was signed on July 9, 2026, and according to Rheinmetall’s official announcement carries a budget in the mid three-digit-million-euro range.

The contract covers development of a complete maritime system spanning the full operational chain, from detection and target tracking through to engagement. The two companies are in the process of forming a dedicated joint venture to carry out the work.

A year of sea trials aboard the frigate Sachsen

The award follows extensive sea trials of a demonstrator system. Mounted aboard the German Navy frigate Sachsen, the demonstrator logged 28,000 nautical miles across the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean. Over more than a year of testing and operational use at the WTD91 test range, the system fired more than 1,000 shots at airborne, maritime and land-based targets.

The system is built from multiple fiber-laser modules paired with a precision pointing and beam-guidance chain that keeps energy concentrated on a single aimpoint. The demonstrator currently operates at roughly 20 kilowatts, a power level sufficient to neutralize small drones and light surface targets.

Operational target: 2029

Rheinmetall and MBDA say the developed laser weapon system is expected to enter German Navy service by 2029. The system is designed to offer a low-cost, continuously available layer of defense against drone threats in particular, offering a significant cost advantage compared to traditional missile and gun-based munitions.

Europe’s growing interest in directed-energy weapons

Germany’s move aligns with a broader push among European navies to field low-cost countermeasures against drones and small surface craft. Laser weapon systems are increasingly viewed as a complement to conventional air-defense systems, particularly given rising drone activity in regions such as the Black Sea and Baltic Sea.

Sources: Based on Rheinmetall’s official press release dated July 9, 2026, and reporting from Naval News and Defense News published the same day. Image credit: Rheinmetall official press office.