directed energy weapons Market

The Directed Energy Weapons market is expected to grow from US$ 1,780.61 Million in 2022 to US$ 5,737.45 Million by 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 21.5% from 2022 to 2028. 

Advanced directed-energy weapons have become necessary for nations dealing with border disputes and regional threats. With exceptional precision, these weapons provide high safety for borders. The Missile Defense Agency's directed energy demonstrator development program aims to reduce technical risks and advance high-powered strategic lasers, beam control, lethality, and related technologies. In the fiscal year of 2021, the program was granted $42 million in funding from the US Department of Defense. Chinese researchers have reported that future directed-energy weapons systems are expected to become even more powerful than current systems, using realistic klystron amplifier technology. For example, researchers in Shanghai are working on a DEW system that will be able to fire 100-petawatt laser shots by 2023. As a result of these advancements, the directed energy weapons market is experiencing significant growth.

In 2022, Europe is projected to hold the second-largest market share for directed energy weapons, and the market is expected to continue growing at a strong pace in the forecast period. Various organizations in Europe are developing and utilizing directed energy weapons capabilities in response to the rising threat of missiles, rockets, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Many European countries are currently integrating counter-UAV laser systems into their armed forces, which can eventually become complete air defense systems. The directed energy weapons market is anticipated to receive a boost from potential geopolitical conflicts between European nations. Additionally, MBDA, a European arms manufacturer, is working on a new laser weapon system called "Dragonfire," which can be installed on UK Royal Navy warships. This system uses several thousand-kilowatt powered lasers and can defend against enemy drones and other airborne units.

The British government awarded a military contract in September 2021, valued at $100 million, to companies such as Thales and Raytheon for the development of directed energy weapon systems. The development of the Dragonfire weapon system presents an opportunity for the directed energy weapons market in the region. Additionally, Germany's Federal for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) awarded a contract to MBDA Deutschland GmbH and Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH to fabricate, integrate and support testing of a laser weapon demonstrator in a maritime environment. The fabrication, testing, and integration of the laser weapon demonstrator were completed at the end of 2021, and trials onboard the German Navy frigate F-124 Sachsen are expected to take place in 2022.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Directed Energy Weapons Market

The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on several Asia Pacific countries, including China, South Korea, and India, but these countries, along with Japan and others in the region, are increasingly focusing on advancing their military and defense capabilities. Although the pandemic did have some effect on the directed energy weapons market in the region, it was less severe than in other regions due to the continued operation of defense contractors. However, the development growth rate of products and technologies declined on a year-on-year basis due to workforce shortages. China, which is the largest military spending country in the region, experienced adverse effects from the pandemic during Q1 of 2020, leading to a shutdown of the country and disruptions to the supply chain. As a result, Chinese defense electronics and equipment manufacturers reported annual sales losses. Despite being the largest DEW systems developer and manufacturer in the Asia Pacific region, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in limited developments in the directed energy weapons industry throughout the region.

North America, specifically the US, is the most developed country in the region and has a high adoption rate for new technologies, including directed energy weapons. The US is witnessing more advancements in directed energy weapons than other countries in the market. An increasing number of collaborations and partnerships between the US government and leading companies such as Lockheed Martin Corporation, Raytheon Technologies Corporation, and Boeing is accelerating the market. The US government's acceptance of advanced weapon systems encourages laser weapon systems manufacturers to provide more innovative laser solutions. Due to the strong presence of directed energy weapons players and significantly higher year-on-year military spending, North America is expected to account for the largest share of the directed energy weapons market during the forecast period. These factors are expected to continuously drive the growth of the directed energy weapons market in the region.

The directed energy weapons market is dominated by major players such as Lockheed Martin Corporation, Thales Group, L3Harris Technologies, Elbit Systems, Raytheon Technologies Inc, BAE Systems Plc, Moog Inc, Honeywell Aerospace Inc, Boeing, and Rheinmetall AG. However, the study also analysed several other players in the directed energy market, including MBDA, Kratos Defense, Aselsan, Leonardo SpA, Cilas (Ariane Group), General Atomics, Vision4CE, IPG Photonics, Epirus, and EDGE Group, among others. These companies have adopted various organic and inorganic growth strategies to expand their product portfolio and global presence, which are expected to contribute to the growth of the directed energy weapons market. A holistic view of the market has been obtained by analysing the strategies of these companies alongside the major players in the market.

The overall directed energy weapons market size has been derived using both primary and secondary sources. To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the directed energy weapons market size. The process also serves the purpose of obtaining an overview and forecast of the market growth with respect to all market segments. Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants and commentators to validate the data and gain more analytical insights into the topic. Participants of this process include VPs, business development managers, intelligence managers, and national sales managers-along with external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders-specializing in the global directed energy weapons market.