(BERLIN, GERMANY) – Germany’s federal procurement office has signed a contract with Rheinmetall and MBDA Deutschland to develop a high energy laser weapon system for the German Navy. The agreement was concluded on 9 July 2026 and marks a significant step in bringing directed energy weapons into operational naval service.
The contract was signed between the Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and In Service Support of the Bundeswehr and the HEL working group, which consists of MBDA Deutschland GmbH and Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH. The two companies will form a joint venture to carry out the project.
The laser system is expected to be ready for deployment by 2029. The contract value falls within an average triple digit million euro range. For reference, a sum in the middle of that range, such as 500 million euros, would be equivalent to approximately 545 million US dollars or 430 million British pounds at current exchange rates.
The project covers the development of a complete system for maritime use, spanning the full engagement chain from target detection and tracking to destruction. The system is designed to substantially improve the protection of German naval vessels, particularly against drones and other asymmetric threats. The containerised laser unit can also be used in a cost effective manner for harbour protection and other tasks beyond shipboard deployment.
The new weapon is being built on the foundation of a demonstrator model that underwent a year of testing under real operational conditions at sea. During those trials, the system successfully fired more than 1,000 shots against air, sea and land targets, providing confidence in the technology’s maturity and reliability.
The laser programme is part of a broader modernisation of Germany’s armed forces. The budget committee of the Bundestag recently approved 16 major procurement projects for the Bundeswehr with a total value exceeding 9.5 billion euros, or roughly 10.4 billion US dollars or 8.2 billion British pounds. The naval laser weapon system for close and short range defence was among those approved projects.
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