Livingston will soon be home to a European Advanced Laser Integration Centre to meet demand for counter-drone technology.

Defence company Raytheon UK has announced the site which is set to open next year. The aim of the facility is to help meet growing demand for drone-destroying laser weapons.

The centre will focus on the testing, fielding, and maintenance of defensive high-energy laser (HEL) weapons, something which the firm said has become more pressing as the Ukraine war rages.

Raytheon said that that “demand is spiking for cost-effective lasers” able to defeat “asymmetric” threats from drones, rockets, and mortars.

Small commercial drones, which the weapons are designed to defend against, have demonstrated their military effectiveness in Ukraine, directing and correcting artillery fire and, in some cases, being modified to carry explosives.

The comments came after news last year that the firm was awarded a demonstrator contract to provide a high-energy laser weapon system to the UK Ministry of Defence. The systems would be installed on the UK Wolfhound land vehicle.

Additionally, the centre comes after the firm won a £160-million contract from the Ministry of Defence to support the training and development of Royal Navy personnel at Scotland’s HM Naval Base Clyde.

Michael Hofle, senior director of High Energy Lasers at Raytheon Intelligence & Space, said: “We’ve all seen that asymmetric threats like drones, rockets, artillery, and mortars are a serious problem, and demand is spiking for cost-effective lasers to defeat them.

“Standing up an advanced integration facility in the UK reflects the maturity of our technology and our commitment to deliver the HEL systems our customers need to defend the skies.”

Raytheon UK, part of Raytheon Technologies, supports 1,900 jobs across Scotland and provides a £187 million contribution to the Scottish economy.

John Gallagher, managing director of weapons and sensors at Raytheon UK, said: “With experts projecting that high-energy lasers could make up as much as 30% of an air defence’s infrastructure in the future, establishing a regional laser integration centre in the UK is an important step to deliver advanced defensive technology where it’s needed, while reducing overall costs of these systems.”

He added: “This centre will help position the UK as a leading nation in directed energy and ensure that the technology continues to be brought out of the lab and into the operational field.”

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The UK Government has said in the past that it intends to continue to push for more drone development out of the UK. Last year, the Regulatory Horizons Council released a report setting out how the country could better support the rapid and safe commercialisation of drones.

Raytheon UK’s Livingston hub will primarily focus on military drone technology; however, drones have many applications, including for inspection of oil and gas facilities off the coast, and the transportation of medical supplies to remote Scottish islands.

Rupert Dent, Regulation Director at UK not-for-profit drone association ARPAS-UK, told DIGIT that facilities such as this are ultimately positive for the future of UK drone rollout.

“I think from the UK point of view, with regards to UK-based manufacturing of civilian drones, and the development of civilian drones is a good thing,” Dent said.

“It’s consistent with government policy to encourage innovative air mobility and innovation in general. We [ARPAS] would encourage support.”

He added: “Whether it’s service providing, manufacturing, or indeed methods of controlling the use of counter-drone related technologies that assist in ensuring they’re being used for the correct purposes, then I support that.”

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