Farnborough 2026: QinetiQ to sell DragonFire laser source units separately as ‘Helena'

A concept graphic of a possible future use of QinetiQ's Helena laser source, unveiled at Farnborough 2026. (Janes/Tom Barton)

QinetiQ unveiled its Helena laser source units, a variant of which is used on the DragonFire laser directed energy weapon (LDEW), as an independent family of products at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, held from 20-24 July.

Intended use cases for Helena include around 30 kW units for ground vehicles in a counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) role as short-range air defence (SHORAD), Simon Cooper, business development director at QinetiQ told Janes on 20 July. They also include uses up to 150 kW or greater, for things like counter-missile and C-UAV roles for installations or naval vessels, he added.

The Helena technology was first delivered in 2019 by the DragonFire consortium of QinetiQ, MBDA, and Leonardo to the UK's Royal Navy (RN) as 50 kW lasers. Two DragonFire units have been contracted for integration onto RN Type 45 destroyers, with the first scheduled to be installed in 2027.

The company also announced a self-funded investment of GBP20 million (USD27 million) to boost development and production of the Helena family, QinetiQ CEO Steve Wadey told Janes during a media briefing on 20 July.

The investment into its Farnborough and Malvern sites is intended to deliver scalable production of a technology which Cooper said the company wants to sell as a merchant supplier for integration into other LDEW weapon systems. Final assembly, integration and test will take place at Farnborough, he added.

In September 2025 US laser source maker IPG Photonics told Janes