French aircraft carrier 'Charles de Gaulle' equipped with laser weapon to counter cheap drones

The French aircraft carrier 'Charles de Gaulle' has for the first time in history been equipped with a laser weapon to counter cheap drones, reducing the cost of a single interception from hundreds of thousands of euros to just a few cents.

According to the French Navy magazine Cols Bleus, tests of the new system were conducted in the Gulf of Oman during mission La Fayette 26.

Using missiles costing between 200,000 euros (Mistral) and 1.5 million euros (Aster) against 500-euro drones has been deemed economically inefficient. To solve this problem, a high-tech HELMA-P system with a power of 2 kilowatts was installed on the ship in just four hours.

How the laser system works and wins:

▪️At distances up to 3 km: An invisible beam burns out optical-electronic sensors and blinds enemy UAV cameras.

▪️At distances up to 1 km: Powerful thermal effects melt the drone's structure within seconds.

▪️Infinite ammunition: Powered by the carrier’s two nuclear reactors, the laser has an unlimited firing capacity, with the cost of a single shot equal to the electricity consumed.

In modern asymmetric warfare, victory and military sovereignty are determined not by brute force but by minimizing the cost of destroying targets.