New armored vehicle with 50 kW laser weapon planned for counter-drone missions

Hanwha is developing a 50-kilowatt laser weapon mounted on an armored vehicle, targeting militaries looking for a mobile and relatively inexpensive way to counter the growing threat from drones. The South Korean defense group unveiled the concept at MSPO 2026 in Kielce, Poland, where Hanwha Systems is showcasing its laser technology alongside a more comprehensive portfolio of air-defense and counter-unmanned systems. The company has already developed a prototype and plans to begin serial production of the laser vehicle by the end of 2027, according to company representatives speaking to Defense News. A laser on an armored 8×8 The new system combines a 50 kW version of Hanwha’s Cheongwang laser technology with the company’s Tigon 8×8 armored personnel carrier. Cheongwang is South Korea’s first operational laser weapon and has been deployed since 2024 to protect strategically important locations. The new vehicle-mounted system increases the laser’s power while adding the mobility needed to keep pace with military forces and respond to moving targets. Hanwha says the system is intended to track and engage fast-moving targets, with drones being a key focus. The company is also emphasizing the economics of using directed energy against relatively inexpensive drones. According to Hanwha, a Cheongwang laser shot costs around 2,000 South Korean won, or about $1.50. Unlike conventional interceptors, a laser does not require a separate physical projectile for every engagement, which may make it attractive when forces face large numbers of low-cost drones. Hanwha Systems manager Hyungun Park told Defense News that the company is currently discussing potential Cheongwang exports with countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Building a layered counter-drone network The 50 kW vehicle is being presented as part of a broader Hanwha approach to layered air defense rather than as a standalone weapon. At MSPO, Hanwha is displaying the H-Shield counter-drone system, a 40 mm wheeled counter-UAS platform, the H-SHORAD short-range air-defense system and the L-SAM long-range surface-to-air system. The company’s systems are designed to work through a command-and-control network, with interceptor drones also included in the architecture. The company is also displaying a 20 kW tactical laser vehicle, giving it multiple mobile directed-energy concepts alongside the larger 50 kW system. The emphasis on Poland is significant. Hanwha has built a growing defense relationship with the country, beginning with the selection of its K9 chassis for Poland’s Krab self-propelled howitzer program in 2014. Poland has since become a major customer for the K9 and Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher, known locally as Homar-K. For the new laser vehicle, mobility could be as important as raw power. Mounting the weapon on the Tigon gives the system an armored, wheeled platform that can move with ground forces rather than remaining tied to a fixed installation. Hanwha plans to continue development toward serial production by the end of 2027. Whether the system can translate its promising low-cost-per-shot economics into an effective battlefield capability will depend on factors such as detection, tracking, weather conditions, power generation, and the ability to engage multiple targets.The new prototype is another step in the growing effort to put high-power lasers on mobile military platforms, as armed forces look for more sustainable ways to deal with increasingly large numbers of drones.Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Kaif Shaikh is a journalist and writer passionate about turning complex information into clear, impactful stories. His writing covers technology, sustainability, geopolitics, and occasionally fiction. A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, his work has appeared in the Times of India and beyond. After a near-fatal experience, Kaif began seeing both stories and silences differently. Outside work, he juggles far too many projects and passions, but always makes time to read, reflect, and hold onto the thread of wonder.