Britain's Ministry of Defence is seeking new anti-drone technology to shield troops from "saturation" attacks designed to overwhelm defences or exhaust ammunition stocks. The tender, called Project PANOPTES and run by UK Defence Innovation, reflects growing concern within NATO forces about small, cheap military drones—of the kind widely used in Ukraine—being deployed in swarms against vehicles and personnel.

An initial £5 million is on offer, with first-stage submissions due by midday on 23 September, suggesting the MoD wants to move quickly. UKDI says it is particularly interested in laser directed energy weapons, though it will consider credible alternatives, and the system must operate autonomously, mount on an Army vehicle, and counter NATO Class 1 drones weighing up to 150 kg, whether attacking singly, repeatedly or simultaneously. The move follows earlier British Army trials of a 15 kW laser mounted on a Wolfhound truck, and parallels the Royal Navy's separate Project TALON and forthcoming DragonFire laser fitment, as well as US and other efforts to counter the same battlefield threat.