Hanwha Systems' Cheongwang laser downs three of three target drones in Korean Army exercise

TLDR

• Hanwha Systems said its Cheongwang laser weapon intercepted all three target drones at South Korea's TIGER+ exercise on 14 October.¹²³⁴
• Laser air defence is moving towards export marketing, with Hanwha citing about $1.50 per shot.¹²³
• The result is company-reported, with no disclosed engagement ranges.¹²³

Hanwha Systems said on 15 October that its Cheongwang laser air defence weapon, also known as the Laser Air Defense Weapon Block-I, and a vehicle-mounted high-energy laser cannon struck all three target drones during the Army TIGER+ Future Warfare Integrated Combat Exercise held in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, on 14 October.¹²³ Around 500 military officials, academics and industry experts attended, including Army Chief of Staff Kim Gyu-ha.¹² The results are company-reported; the sources describe a three-drone demonstration, not an independent test; Businesskorea describes the three targets as hovering in front of the observers.¹²⁴

Businesskorea and The Asia Business Daily say Cheongwang was developed by the Agency for Defense Development with Hanwha Systems as prototype manufacturer or contractor, while The Korea Times says it was developed by Hanwha Systems and the agency; Hanwha describes it as the world's first operationally deployed laser weapon system.¹²³ The company says it costs about $1.50 per shot and can run continuously without ammunition replenishment as long as it has power.¹²³⁴ The 30 kW-class laser cannon shown alongside it was developed under Hanwha's lead with miniaturised, lighter main components so it can be mounted on a combat vehicle, and, according to Businesskorea, uses phase-change-based cooling to manage heat from high-power firing.²³

In September, at the 2026 Defense Drone Technology Exhibition, Cheongwang was reported to have engaged four drones and two UAVs, which Defence Industry Europe dates to 16 September.¹³⁴ Hanwha also showed a 50 kW laser armoured vehicle at MSPO 2026 in Kielce, Poland, and at the September drone exhibition, aimed at overseas customers.¹⁴ Businesskorea and The Asia Business Daily report Hanwha plans to complete development of the 50 kW-class vehicle by 2027, while Defence Industry Europe notes the announcement specified neither engagement ranges nor a development timetable for it.²⁴

"Laser weapons are core assets that will fundamentally change the game of air defense," said Shin Joo-hun, head of Hanwha Systems' Laser Systems Business Center, adding that the company will accelerate its global expansion to establish Cheongwang and the 50 kW vehicle as key next-generation Korean defence exports.¹

Why it matters: laser air defence is moving from prototype demonstrations towards export marketing, and the main selling point is cost per shot, about $1.50 on Hanwha's figure, which the coverage sets against the higher running cost of conventional missiles. The three-drone result is company-reported with no disclosed engagement ranges, so the real tests will be range, dwell time against faster or swarming targets, and whether a buyer signs for the 50 kW vehicle.