London:

Some personal information in a payroll system used by Britain’s defence department has been accessed in a data breach, the BBC reported on Monday.

The system was managed by an external contractor and no operational Ministry of Defence data was obtained, the broadcaster said, adding that the department took the system off-line immediately.

Information like names and bank details of current and some former members of the Royal Navy, Army and Air Force was compromised, according to the report.

The Ministry of Defence did not immediately respond to a Reuters’ request for comment outside working hours.

MPs could be informed about the development in the Commons on Tuesday, the report added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The UK’s defence ministry on Monday released a video of its first-ever laser weapon carrying out tests. Called “DragonFire”, the high-powered laser is designed to knock drones out of the sky, according to the BBC. The ministry hopes that the test will pave the way for a low-cost alternative to missiles to shoot down targets like drones. It further said that the weapon is precise enough to hit a coin from a kilometre away, as per the report in the BBC.

Watch the video:

DragonFire is a new laser being developer by @dstlmod for the military.

Watch its first high-power firing against an aerial target.

https://t.co/D5sqIciICSpic.twitter.com/oI1xG9sK87

— Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) March 11, 2024

The weapon was tested in January in Herbrides Range in Scotland. After the successful test, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps had said that the technology could reduce “the reliance on expensive ammunition, while also lowering the risk of collateral damage”.

DragonFire will be used both by the Army and the Royal Navy as part of their future air defence capabilities.

Firing the laser for 10 seconds has the cost equivalent of using a heater for just an hour, “typically less than 10 pounds per shot,” according to a UK government statement.

The UK defence ministry has not revealed the weapon’s maximum range, but the military said it can “engage with any visible target”.

“These trials have seen us take a huge step forward in realising the potential opportunities and understanding the threats posed by directed energy weapons,” The Independent quoted Paul Hollinshead, chief of the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, as saying.

The UK has taken a major step in incorporating a laser weapon, which is being explored by the US, Germany and Israel to take out drones and missiles from the sky.

Lasers are being sought after since drones are being increasingly used in warfare across the world, as seen during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.