South Korea’s Hanwha Systems has demonstrated its laser air defense weapons intercepting drones during a military exercise, while developing a more powerful, vehicle-mounted system aimed at international defense customers.
During the South Korean Army’s Army TIGER+ future warfare exercise on October 14, the company’s Cheongwang laser weapon and a mobile, 30-kilowatt-class laser cannon intercepted all three target drones. The demonstration was attended by around 500 military, academic, and industry representatives.
Hanwha is also pursuing exports of a 50-kilowatt laser-equipped armored vehicle, designed to combine greater mobility with higher laser output. The system is still under development, and the company has not announced a confirmed export order.
Cheongwang targets low-cost drone threats
South Korea’s Cheongwang, also known as Laser Air Defense Weapon Block-I, was developed by Hanwha Systems and the country’s Agency for Defense Development. It became operational in December 2024, with South Korea describing it as the world’s first operationally deployed laser air defense weapon. The Korea Times and ChosunBiz reported the latest demonstration.
The system focuses a high-energy laser beam on a target to damage critical components, such as its battery, rather than launching a conventional interceptor. Hanwha says each engagement costs about 2,000 South Korean won, or around $1.50, and the system can keep operating as long as it is electrical power.
That cost structure could be useful against inexpensive drones, which can otherwise force defenders to expend costly missiles to defeat relatively cheap threats. Laser weapons don’t consume a separate projectile for each engagement, though they still require power, cooling, and suitable conditions to operate effectively.
The October exercise followed another demonstration in September, when Cheongwang reportedly intercepted four drones and two unmanned aerial vehicles in succession. These demonstrations highlight the system’s potential against small aerial threats, but do not establish its effectiveness against every type of drone or under all battlefield conditions.
A more powerful laser moves onto an armored vehicle
Alongside Cheongwang, Hanwha has developed a mobile 30 kW-class laser cannon intended for installation on combat vehicles. The system uses miniaturized, lightweight components and phase-change-based cooling technology to manage heat generated during high-power operation.
The company is also developing a separate 50 kW Laser Armored Vehicle for overseas customers. The higher-output vehicle was displayed at the MSPO defense exhibition in Poland in September and at South Korea’s Defense Drone Technology Exhibition.
The 50 kW configuration is designed to offer greater mobility and laser power than the existing fixed Cheongwang system. Defense News reported in September that Hanwha planned to begin serial production by the end of 2027. That remains a company target, not a confirmed production milestone.
Hanwha targets international defense markets
Hanwha Systems is positioning both Cheongwang and the vehicle-mounted laser for export as militaries seek more affordable ways to counter small drones used for surveillance, reconnaissance, and attacks.
The company has said it is in discussions with potential customers in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, although it has not publicly identified a buyer for the 50 kW vehicle.
Laser weapons still face limitations. Rain, fog, moisture, and other atmospheric conditions can reduce the energy reaching a target, while maintaining a laser on a moving or maneuvering drone requires accurate tracking and sustained beam control.