When Should Lasers Save the Missiles?

Introduction

Lasers are most valuable in modern air defence not when they replace missiles, but when they prevent missiles from being wasted. The central problem facing defenders is economic as much as technical: inexpensive drones and loitering munitions can force defenders to expend scarce and costly interceptors. In a layered defence network, lasers allow commanders to reserve missile inventories for threats that genuinely require them, such as cruise missiles, larger aircraft, or targets operating beyond a laser’s effective envelope. This approach improves both affordability and endurance during prolonged attacks, while recognising that lasers still face limits imposed by weather, range, line-of-sight, power generation and target characteristics.[RAND Corporation+2GAO]rand.orgdirected energy the focus on laser weapons intensifiesRAND CorporationDirected Energy: The Focus on Laser Weapons IntensifiesJanuary 25, 2024 — 25 Jan 2024 — Beam laser weapon to help shoot d…Published: January 25, 2024

The Drone-Cost Problem for Defenders

The strongest operational argument for laser weapons is not that they are superior to missiles in every circumstance. It is that they change the defender’s cost equation.

Many recent conflicts have demonstrated how attackers can launch large numbers of relatively cheap drones, forcing defenders to respond with interceptors that may cost orders of magnitude more. Analysts increasingly describe this as a magazine-management problem. Missile stocks are finite, production rates are limited, and replenishment during conflict can be difficult.[EPC]epc.euthe new economics of warfareThe new economics of warfare9 Mar 2026 — Invest heavily in cost-effective counter-drone technologies. Shooting multi-million-euro inte…

Laser systems offer a different model. Once deployed and supplied with power, they can engage targets without consuming physical ammunition. Modern defence programmes routinely emphasise extremely low engagement costs compared with missile interceptors, making lasers particularly attractive against small drones, loitering munitions and other low-cost aerial threats.[National Defense Magazine+2Tom's Hardware]nationaldefensemagazine.orggovernment perspective directed energy in air base defense can save the arsenalNational Defense MagazineDirected Energy in Air Base Defense Can Save the Arsenal11 Aug 2025 — Directed energy weapons, including high-en…

The result is a simple command principle: if a threat can be defeated reliably with a laser, using a missile may represent a poor allocation of resources. Every missile not fired at a small drone remains available for a threat that cannot be handled by directed energy.

Which Threats Still Justify Interceptors?

The decision to save missiles only works if commanders clearly understand when missiles remain the better option.

Several categories of threat continue to favour interceptor use:

• Long-range threats. Missiles can engage targets well beyond the practical range of most fielded laser systems and can pursue targets over the horizon.[GAO]gao.govgao 23 106717Science & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy Weapons25 May 2023 — They also generally have a shorter range than conventional weapons, and…Published: May 2023
• Poor-weather engagements. Fog, rain, dust and atmospheric turbulence can reduce laser effectiveness and increase engagement times. Missiles are generally less vulnerable to these specific limitations.[GAO]gao.govgao 23 106717Science & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy Weapons25 May 2023 — They also generally have a shorter range than conventional weapons, and…Published: May 2023
• High-speed or heavily protected targets. Larger cruise missiles, sophisticated aircraft and hardened targets may require the destructive mechanisms and reach provided by kinetic interceptors.[Defence Science Review]com.plpdf 216776 135052DEW) neutralizes UAVs and loitering munitions with precise laser engagement. Surface-to-. Air Missiles (SAM) are …Read more
• Targets outside line of sight. Laser systems require an unobstructed path to the target, while missile systems can often engage threats that are geographically masked or manoeuvring beyond direct visibility.[GAO]gao.govgao 23 106717Science & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy Weapons25 May 2023 — They also generally have a shorter range than conventional weapons, and…Published: May 2023

This distinction explains why leading military programmes continue to present lasers as additions to existing missile-defence architectures rather than replacements. Israel’s Iron Beam, for example, is designed to operate alongside established missile layers rather than substitute for them entirely.[RAND Corporation]rand.orgdirected energy the focus on laser weapons intensifiesRAND CorporationDirected Energy: The Focus on Laser Weapons IntensifiesJanuary 25, 2024 — 25 Jan 2024 — Beam laser weapon to help shoot d…Published: January 25, 2024

How Commanders Ration Shots During Raids

The practical value of lasers becomes clearest during saturation attacks.

Imagine a raid involving dozens of small drones mixed with a handful of higher-priority threats. If every contact receives a missile engagement, interceptor inventories can be depleted rapidly. A commander who has access to directed energy gains another option.

A common engagement hierarchy looks like this:

This approach is not merely about saving money. It preserves combat endurance. A force that expends its missile inventory defeating dozens of small drones may become vulnerable when more dangerous targets arrive later in the attack sequence. RAND analysts have highlighted precisely this inventory-preservation role as one of the most important strategic advantages of directed-energy weapons.[RAND Corporation]rand.orgdirected energy the focus on laser weapons intensifiesRAND CorporationDirected Energy: The Focus on Laser Weapons IntensifiesJanuary 25, 2024 — 25 Jan 2024 — Beam laser weapon to help shoot d…Published: January 25, 2024

The concept also helps explain why military planners frequently discuss “deep magazines” when describing laser systems. Their value lies less in replacing existing weapons than in providing a large volume of affordable engagements before scarce kinetic stocks must be used.[Sentrycs]sentrycs.comDirected Energy Weapons (DEW)Directed Energy Weapons use electromagnetic energy to disable drones. Learn how HEL lasers and HPM s…

The Emerging Layered-Defence Model

Recent laser programmes illustrate how this philosophy is becoming operational practice.

The United Kingdom’s DragonFire programme has been promoted partly on the basis that low-cost laser engagements can counter drone threats without consuming expensive missile inventories. Trials demonstrated successful engagements against fast-moving drones, while official planning continues to place the system within broader naval air-defence architectures rather than as a standalone replacement for missile systems.[Tom's Hardware+2Reuters]tomshardware.comuk confirms dragonfire laser weapon for royal navy destroyers by 2027This follows a £316 million ($414 million) contract awarded to MBDA UK for the first two production units. DragonFire, a 50 kW-class lase…

Similarly, Israel’s Iron Beam has been developed as an additional layer supporting existing missile-defence systems. The objective is not to eliminate kinetic interceptors but to reduce pressure on them by handling suitable short-range threats at far lower cost.[RAND Corporation]rand.orgdirected energy the focus on laser weapons intensifiesRAND CorporationDirected Energy: The Focus on Laser Weapons IntensifiesJanuary 25, 2024 — 25 Jan 2024 — Beam laser weapon to help shoot d…Published: January 25, 2024

Even ambitious programmes pursuing higher-power lasers for cruise-missile defence continue to describe them as components within layered defensive networks. Defence planners generally expect future air-defence systems to combine sensors, electronic warfare, lasers, guns and missiles rather than rely exclusively on any one technology.[Tom's Hardware+2The Strategist]tomshardware.comThe JLWS is a containerized high-energy laser system intended to neutralize cruise missiles and other advanced threats. Designed to scale…

The Key Decision: Replace the Shot or Preserve the Magazine?

The most important implementation question is not whether a laser can destroy a target. It is whether using a laser produces a better overall allocation of defensive resources.

When facing inexpensive drones inside a laser’s effective envelope, the answer is often yes. A successful laser engagement removes the threat while preserving interceptor stocks for later phases of the battle. When facing long-range, fast, heavily protected or weather-obscured threats, missiles still provide capabilities that directed energy cannot yet consistently match.[GAO+2Defence Science Review]gao.govgao 23 106717Science & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy Weapons25 May 2023 — They also generally have a shorter range than conventional weapons, and…Published: May 2023

In practice, the strongest contribution of laser weapons is therefore not missile replacement. It is missile conservation. By handling the growing volume of low-cost aerial threats, lasers help ensure that limited interceptor inventories remain available for the targets that truly require them.[RAND Corporation+2EPC]rand.orgdirected energy the focus on laser weapons intensifiesRAND CorporationDirected Energy: The Focus on Laser Weapons IntensifiesJanuary 25, 2024 — 25 Jan 2024 — Beam laser weapon to help shoot d…Published: January 25, 2024

Amazon book picks

Further Reading

Books and field guides related to When Should Lasers Save the Missiles?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.

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The Kill Chain

By Christian Brose

Examines drones, precision weapons, networked combat, and the economics of modern air and missile defense.

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Army of None

By Paul Scharre

Helps readers understand the drone threat environment that drives interest in low-cost defensive systems such as lasers.

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Skunk Works

By Leo Janos, Ben R. Rich

Provides accessible context on advanced aerospace systems, defense procurement, and the evolution of high-technology military capabilities.

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Drone Wars

By Seth J. Frantzman

Focuses on drone warfare trends that create the interceptor-cost and magazine-management challenges discussed on the page.

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Browse more on Amazon: The Kill Chain Army of None Skunk Works

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Endnotes

1. Source: rand.org
Title: directed energy the focus on laser weapons intensifies
Link:https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2024/01/directed-energy-the-focus-on-laser-weapons-intensifies.html

Published: January 25, 2024

2. Source: gao.gov
Title: gao 23 106717
Link:https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106717

Published: May 2023

3. Source: epc.eu
Title: the new economics of warfare
Link:https://www.epc.eu/publication/the-new-economics-of-warfare/

4. Source: sentrycs.com
Link:https://sentrycs.com/glossary/directed-energy-weapons-dew/

5. Source: reuters.com
Link:https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-beefs-up-royal-navy-counter-drone-tech-with-413-mln-laser-contract-2025-11-20/

6. Source: gao.gov
Title: gao 23 105868
Link:https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105868

7. Source: gao.gov
Link:https://www.gao.gov/assets/830/825926.pdf

8. Source: gao.gov
Link:https://www.gao.gov/video/directed-energy-weapons-dod-should-focus-transition-planning

9. Source: aspistrategist.org.au
Title: war at the speed of light the emerging role of directed energy weapons
Link:https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/war-at-the-speed-of-light-the-emerging-role-of-directed-energy-weapons/

10. Source: nationaldefensemagazine.org
Title: government perspective directed energy in air base defense can save the arsenal
Link:https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2025/8/11/government-perspective-directed-energy-in-air-base-defense-can-save-the-arsenal

11. Source: tomshardware.com
Title: uk confirms dragonfire laser weapon for royal navy destroyers by 2027
Link:https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/uk-confirms-dragonfire-laser-weapon-for-royal-navy-destroyers-by-2027

12. Source: defencesciencereview.com.pl
Title: pdf 216776 135052
Link:https://www.defencesciencereview.com.pl/pdf-216776-135052?filename=Laser-Based-[Directed-Ener

13. Source: tomshardware.com
Link:https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/pentagon-budget-documents-reveal-its-pursuing-containerized-300kw-laser-weapons-ambitious-joint-laser-weapon-system-designed-to-shoot-down-cruise-missiles-system-part-of-usd17-9-billion-golden-dome-missile-defense-initiative

14. Source: tomshardware.com
Link:https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/100kw-iron-beam-laser-becomes-worlds-first-drone-defense-zapper-to-be-operationally-deployed-it-can-also-shoot-down-rockets-mortars-and-other-aerial-threats

15. Source: lockheedmartin.com
Link:https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/capabilities/directed-energy.html

Additional References

16. Source: researchgate.net
Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/401707891_Cost-Effectiveness_Analysis_of_Counter-Unmanned_Aircraft_Systems_Technologies_A_Comparative_Study_of_Kinetic_Electronic_Warfare_and_Directed_Energy_Countermeasures

17. Source: researchgate.net
Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/403676537Laser-Based_Directed_Energy_Weapons_Technological_Capabilities_Material_Interaction_and_Strategic[Deployment

18. Source: drone-warfare.com
Link:https://drone-warfare.com/counter-uas/drone-defeat/

19. Source: aeromorning.com
Link:https://aeromorning.com/en/directed-energy-counter-drone-rf-vs-laser-drone-hardening/

20. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/unboxfactory/posts/israels-2-laser-vs-4m-missilesisrael-has-developed-a-laser-based-air-defense-sys/956011330083251/

21. Source: drillanddefense.com
Link:https://drillanddefense.com/laser-weapons-the-new-layer-in-modern-air-defense/

22. Source: csbaonline.org
Link:https://csbaonline.org/uploads/documents/CSBA_ChangingTheGame_ereader.pdf

23. Source: lexingtoninstitute.org
Link:https://lexingtoninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/directed-energy-weapons.pdf

24. Source: linkedin.com
Link:https://www.linkedin.com/posts/keith-king-03a172128_directed-energy-weapons-are-moving-from-prototype-activity-7459943070164242432-4KLW

Published: May 2026

25. Source: rtx.com
Link:https://www.rtx.com/raytheon/what-we-do/integrated-air-and-missile-defense/lasers