Question follow-through · 58352
Lasers: Weapons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has his Department has made in developing novel directed energy weapons.
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
- 9 Jun 2025
- Target answer date
- 11 Jun 2025
- Answer
- 17 Jun 2025 · 8 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
- NATO: Baltic Sea · 10 Jun 2025
- Nuclear Power: Skilled Workers · 10 Jun 2025
- Nuclear Power: Security · 10 Jun 2025
- Typhoon Aircraft · 10 Jun 2025
- Defence: Research · 12 Jun 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
9 Jun 2025
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has his Department has made in developing novel directed energy weapons.
11 Jun 2025
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
17 Jun 2025
Answer published
Following the Strategic Defence Review, we have announced nearly £1 billion in further investment for Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) this Parliament. This funding will ensure the DragonFire Laser DEW system enters service with the Royal Navy in 2027 and wi...
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.
NATO: Baltic Sea
10 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what resources his Department his providing to support NATO’s Baltic Sentry operation.
Nuclear Power: Skilled Workers
10 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his planned timetable is for reviewing the National Nuclear Strategic Plan for Skills.
Nuclear Power: Security
10 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 57461 on Nuclear Power: Security, where the additional 18,000 jobs in the defence nuclear workforce will be located.
Typhoon Aircraft
10 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 56960 on Typhoon Aircraft, when he expects to complete the rollout of the Striker 2 helmet-mounted display for Typhoon FGR4 pilots.
Defence: Research
12 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the new Defence Research and Evaluation organisation to be fully operational.
Armed Forces: Housing
16 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 17 December 2024 on Developments in Military Housing, HCWS323, when his Department commenced negotiations with Annington Homes Ltd. to reacquire 36,000 service family es
Warships: Iron and Steel
16 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which new Royal Navy vessels will be manufactured with (a) British-made virgin steel, (b) British-made recycled steel and (c) steel sourced overseas.
Hawk Aircraft
16 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 23535 on Hawk Aircraft, how many Hawk T1 aircraft are airworthy.
Army
16 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) the Strategic Defence Review 2025 and (b) Project Grayburn on the infantry’s (a) manning establishment, (b) battalion structures and (c) doctrine.
Cadets
16 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many new cadet detachments will the Cadet Expansion Programme create in (a) schools and (b) communities in 2025/26.
Army: Rifles
17 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the scope is of Project Grayburn; and what requirements were laid out to the defence industry on the core characteristics of the next-generation individual weapon to replace the SA80 family of rifles.
Cadets
17 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that community and school cadet expansion plans (a) do not conflict and (b) maximise (i) coverage and (ii) the use of resources.