South Korean lasers down three drones in Army demo, Hanwha says
Two laser weapons developed by Hanwha Systems shot down all three target drones during a South Korean Army demonstration on Oct. 14, the company said, as it pitches the technology to foreign buyers.
The company’s stationary Cheongwang laser air defense weapon and a 30-kilowatt-class vehicle-mounted laser took part in the live-fire event, held during the Army’s TIGER+ Future Warfare Integrated Combat Exercise. About 500 people attended, according to Hanwha, including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Kyu-ha.
Cheongwang fired on a drone overhead that “caught fire and fell from the sky,” The Korea Times reported from the exercise at a training ground in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The laser was one part of a layered counter-drone demonstration that also included electronic jamming and a K21 armored vehicle firing on incoming drones.
Hanwha did not say which system destroyed which drones, what kinds of drones were used, what vehicle carries the newer laser or the range of either weapon.
The Oct. 14 demonstration followed a Sept. 16 event at South Korea’s 2026 Defense Drone Technology Exhibition, where Cheongwang downed four drones and two larger unmanned aircraft in succession, Hanwha said.
Cheongwang, meaning “light of the sky,” in Korean is formally known as the Laser Air Defense Weapon Block-I. Hanwha developed it under a program led by South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development. The company calls it the world’s first operationally deployed laser weapon.
South Korea first fielded the system in December 2024 and had about five units at major government facilities as of June, including the Ministry of National Defense building, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.
North Korean drones have repeatedly violated South Korean airspace. In December 2022, five crossed the border, one reaching Seoul. Fighter jets, attack helicopters and warning shots failed to bring any of them down, Defense News reported at the time.
Hanwha says each Cheongwang shot costs about $1.50, in line with the figure South Korea’s arms procurement agency gave in 2024. Unlike guns or missiles, the system uses no ammunition and can continue firing as long as it has power. The company asserts lasers can counter cheap drones used for surveillance and strikes without relying on much costlier missile-based air defenses.
Hanwha is also developing a 50 kW Laser Armored Vehicle in-house for export customers and displayed a model of it at the MSPO defense show in Kielce, Poland, in September.
At the show, Hanwha Systems manager Hyungun Park told Defense News that the company had built a prototype and planned to begin production by the end of 2027. He said Hanwha was in talks with potential buyers in Europe, Asia and the Middle East about exporting Cheongwang.
South Korea’s 2027 defense budget proposal includes funding to begin research on a mobile Block-II version of Cheongwang, UPI reported.
Hanwha Systems successfully shot down three target drones using its Cheongwang laser air defense weapon during a demonstration on October 14 in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The event showcased the effectiveness of laser technology in military applications, attended by approximately 500 people, including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Kyu-ha. This demonstration is part of South Korea's ongoing efforts to enhance its air defense capabilities against drone threats.
- Hanwha Systems shot down three drones using laser weapons during a demonstration.
- The event took place on October 14 at a training ground in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province.
- The Cheongwang laser air defense weapon is claimed to be the world's first operationally deployed laser weapon.
- Each shot from the Cheongwang costs about $1.50, significantly lower than traditional missile systems.
- Hanwha is developing a 50 kW Laser Armored Vehicle for export customers.