Is South Korea’s Star Wars laser for North Korea? Learn What It Can Do
South Korea revealed its iconic laser in July this year as a weapon to neutralize the aerial threat of North Korean drones.
With the deployment of the first-ever laser weapon system, South Korea has become the first nation to do so. The military project, unveiled by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), is named “Star Wars Project” or “Block-I”.
In an official statement, the DAPA announced its plans to expand the laser‘s reach into space.
In July 2024, the Agency for Defense Development disclosed the country’s aim to mass-produce weapons that can help get rid of the aerial threat by North Korea. Drones from the neighboring nation have been a problem for South Korea for a long time, and the Star Wars Project is supposed to be a response to that.
Unveiling its laser-powered weapon, DAPA said the laser operates on electricity and doesn’t require ammunition. It uses fiber optic cables to generate laser beams capable of piercing through all kinds of drones.
During testing, the laser produced 100% accuracy.
As mentioned above, the laser weapon development is a response to the conflict between North and South Korea. In 2022, a bunch of North Korean drones infiltrated South Korean airspace, forcing the latter nation to defend itself using fighter helicopters.
