Question follow-through · 42294
Warships: Lasers
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which class of Royal Navy ships will operate a directed energy weapon.
About this written question
A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.
- Answering body
- Ministry of Defence
- Tabled
- 28 Mar 2025
- Target answer date
- 1 Apr 2025
- Answer
- 7 Apr 2025 · 10 calendar days after tabling
Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.
More questions by this MP on Defence and foreign affairs
- Portsmouth Dockyard: Regeneration · 31 Mar 2025
- HMS Vanguard: Repairs and Maintenance · 31 Mar 2025
- HMS Victorious: Repairs and Maintenance · 31 Mar 2025
- HMS Vigilant: Repairs and Maintenance · 31 Mar 2025
- HMS Vengeance: Repairs and Maintenance · 31 Mar 2025
Shared topic keywords suggest a connection; they do not establish a follow-up.
Votes on this topic
- Opposition Day Motion: Defence spending and readiness - Prime Minister's Amendment · 23 Jun 2026
- Opposition day: Defence spending and readiness · 23 Jun 2026
- Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: Amendment 11 · 22 Jun 2026
These Commons divisions share a topic label. The question did not necessarily lead to a vote.
Recorded timeline
28 Mar 2025
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which class of Royal Navy ships will operate a directed energy weapon.
1 Apr 2025
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
7 Apr 2025
Answer published
Our DragonFire Laser Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) will be fitted to four Royal Navy ships starting from 2027. Type 45 destroyers are being explored as the most suitable platform. The Ministry of Defence is maturing plans for future DEW capabilities along...
Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.
Later records
Possible follow-up questions
Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.
Portsmouth Dockyard: Regeneration
31 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 18 of the Spring Statement, published on 26 March 2025, how the funding for the regeneration of His Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth will be allocated.
HMS Vanguard: Repairs and Maintenance
31 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the (a) upkeep and (b) maintenance of HMS Vanguard since 5 July 2024.
HMS Victorious: Repairs and Maintenance
31 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the (a) upkeep and (b) maintenance of HMS Victorious since 5 July 2024.
HMS Vigilant: Repairs and Maintenance
31 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the (a) upkeep and (b) maintenance of HMS Vigilant since 5 July 2024.
HMS Vengeance: Repairs and Maintenance
31 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the (a) upkeep and (b) maintenance of HMS Vengeance since 5 July 2024.
HMS Astute: Repairs and Maintenance
31 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the (a) upkeep and (b) maintenance of HMS Astute since 5 July 2024.
HMS Ambush: Repairs and Maintenance
31 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the (a) upkeep and (b) maintenance of HMS Ambush since 5 July 2024.
HMS Artful: Repairs and Maintenance
31 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the (a) upkeep and (b) maintenance of HMS Artful since 5 July 2024.
HMS Audacious: Repairs and Maintenance
31 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the (a) upkeep and (b) maintenance of HMS Audacious since 5 July 2024.
HMS Anson: Repairs and Maintenance
31 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the (a) upkeep and (b) maintenance of HMS Anson since 5 July 2024.
HMS Queen Elizabeth: Repairs and Maintenance
31 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the (a) upkeep and (b) maintenance of HMS Queen Elizabeth since 5 July 2024.
HMS Prince of Wales: Repairs and Maintenance
31 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the (a) upkeep and (b) maintenance of HMS Prince of Wales since 5 July 2024.