An anti-drone hub is to be built in West Lothian to help meet the growing demand for laser weapons which target small attack drones.
The firm’s president of electronic warfare systems, Annabel Flores, told the BBC that “demand is spiking for cost-effective lasers” able to defeat “asymmetric” threats from drones, rockets and mortars.
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The planned “advanced laser integration centre” will be a European hub for high-energy laser weaponry, the firm added, and will be based in Livingston, but the exact location cannot be revealed due to security reasons.
The centre will focus on the testing, fielding and maintenance of defensive high-energy laser (HEL) weapons.
It comes after the Ministry of Defence announced that a £160 million contract had been awarded to Raytheon UK to support the training and development of Royal Navy personnel at Scotland’s HM Naval Base Clyde.
Britain’s armed forces began trials last year using laser weapons.
Initially the number of jobs created by the new centre is likely to be small, but could increase to potentially "hundreds of jobs".
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That will depend on many factors of course, but the company believes that high-energy lasers could make up as much as 30% of of future air defence infrastructure.
While the firm would not be drawn on how much it would ultimately invest - citing pending financial results - it has already spent about £20m developing the Livingston site, the BBC understands.
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