Introduction

With its sophisticated artillery, drones, hypersonic missiles, smart projectiles and guided weapons, Battlefield of the 21st Century is no less than a science fiction movie. A great amount of money and effort is being invested by the armed forces and their agencies globally in developing technologies capable of countering the threats.

A paradigm shift is noticed due to the birth of the DEWs, as they are different from the traditional munitions, and the DEWs utilize focused energy such as lasers, microwaves or particle beams. This focused energy destroys the suspected flying target. Their core advantages include:

• Instantaneous Target Engagement: Lasers move at the speed of light, providing nearly instantaneous effect.
• Low Cost of Operations: Every encounter costs not more than a few liters of fuel, much less expensive than missiles.
• Highly Precise with Low Collateral Damage: Suitable for disabling drones, sensors, or electronics where there are people or sensitive areas.
• Unlimited Ammunition: If there is power, the system can continue to fire.

These listed benefits make DEWs the first choice against present-day threats such as drone swarms and long-range missiles.

Global Military Race for DEWs

The Directed Energy Weapon Market is expected to grow from USD 5.3 Billion in 2022 to USD 12.9 Billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 19.6% from 2022 to 2027. The USA, Russia, China, and Israel are part of the select group that has these technologies.

• USA has the U.S. Navy's Laser Weapon System (LaWS) and HELIOS that are highly skilled and are in operation on warships, and the SHiELD program is designed to be mounted into fighter planes with lasers.
• China possesses Silent Hunter system with the capacity to disable cars and drones with superior accuracy.
• Russians have built the Peresvet laser with an emphasis on air defense and satellite jamming.
• Israel has the Iron Beam system that is designed to intercept mortars, rockets, and unmanned aerial vehicles and at the same time sustain cost effectiveness.

India is no longer behind in this race. They left their mark on this list in April 2025 by completing the Sahastra Shakti test. Kurnool, the National Open Air Range of Andhra Pradesh is where the test was held.

Proved the capacity to effectively destroy aerial targets under real-life scenarios. They join this high club now. Indigenous Sahastra Shakti development represents a major technological maturity leap as well as strategic preparedness.

The name itself reflects the Strength. The name Sahastra Shakti (meaning “Power of a Thousand” in Sanskrit) reflects both technological strength and cultural heritage, drawing inspiration from Goddess Durga’s divine power.

The system comprises 30-kilowatt laser beam that is capable of neutralizing fixed-wing UAVs, swarm drones, EO systems, and even radiation-emitting antenna panels. And it has an engagement range, which is effective targeting up to 5 kilometers.

The system has target tracking, which uses an advanced Electro-Optical (EO) systems and radar for real-time target acquisition. The system is mobile and can be mounted on 4×4 vehicles. The cost of a single application is equivalent to just a few liters of petrol.

Applications of Sahastra Shakti in Modern Warfare

• Border Security: Stopping the illegal drones and the smuggling of goods over and under the border.
• Naval Defense: Potential integration into warships to counter sea-skimming threats.
• Aerial Defense: Mounted on aircraft for mid-air missile interception.
• Space Domain: Future satellite-based lasers to protect India’s space infrastructure from anti-satellite attack threats.

Evidently the indigenously made Sahastra Shakti is a force multiplier and has improved the layered defense structures and provides swift, scalable reactions in a war.

The Indian Directed Energy Weapon Market has witnessed a significant boom, as evidenced by the fact that the Global Directed Energy Weapon Market had reached the value of USD 10 billion in 2023. The growth is driven by increasing defense budgets, advancements in microwave and laser technologies, and increased threats from UAVs and other aerial dangers.

Besides the DRDOs, the key players such as Bharat Electronics Limited (BHEL), Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Laser Science and Technology Centre (LASTEC) dominate the market with their strong R&D processes, large-scale manufacturing facilities, and strategic partnerships.

Challenges & Limitations

• Atmospheric Interference: Dust, fog, rain, or turbulence are some of the interfering factors with the laser beams.
• Power Demand: Requires compact, mobile power sources for prolonged field deployment.
• Development Cost: Through cost-effective in operation, R&D and deployment are capital-intensive.

The Road Ahead

India is actively developing the laser beam based weapons. This technology will boost strategic autonomy, help in counter new threats and enable next-generation warfare. India is presently developing a 300-kW "Surya" laser system with a range upto 20 kilometers that can intercept supersonic missiles, UAVs, and even aircraft. They are being developed to be deployed on land-based and air-based platforms. India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is working hard to overcome these challenges with more indigenous innovations, beam control systems, and system miniaturization.

Beyond use by the military, DEWs can be customized to space debris, disable rogue drones near civilian zones, or serve in disaster response scenarios. Their role as multi-layered defense systems will be critical as war around the world become more technology-driven.

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