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'Ocean's Eleven weapon' that wipes out enemy drones being tested by British Army

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A laser weapon is also being developed for the British military
A laser weapon is also being developed for the British military

THE British Army will trial a high-powered Ocean's Eleven-style weapon with the ability to disrupt enemy technology and disable drones.

Experts have compared it to "the pinch" device used in the 2001 film starring George Clooney where a team of con artists gain access to a Vegas vault.

The weapon seems to be straight out of Hollywood qeithidztiqtuprw
The weapon seems to be straight out of Hollywood
The DragonFire laser could be deployed five years sooner than expected
The DragonFire laser could be deployed five years sooner than expectedCredit: Alamy
Such weaponry is expected to play a large part in future conflicts
Such weaponry is expected to play a large part in future conflictsCredit: Alamy
The soon-to-be trialled weapon works in a similar way to 'the pinch' used in the film Ocean's Eleven
The soon-to-be trialled weapon works in a similar way to 'the pinch' used in the film Ocean's ElevenCredit: Alamy

The weapon - which uses radio frequency - has been developed by scientists under Project Ealing research labs at Porton Down, in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

It detonates an intense electromagnetic pulse that can black out enemy communications.

It comes as The Sun's exclusive video shows the military laser DragonFire - which has seen development sped up in the hopes it could help in Ukraine and the Red Sea - in action.

Putin accused of surrounding himself with same 'actors' at series of eventsPutin accused of surrounding himself with same 'actors' at series of events

The declassified footage shows the £140 million weapon blasting a drone out of the sky.

Matt Cork, an expert in directed energy weapons at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, described the 'Ocean's Eleven' Project Ealing tech as a "sledgehammer" but a non-lethal method that doesn't resort to "blowing stuff up".

During a briefing, The Times reports he said: "Imagine a room full of computers, or a telephone exchange, anything that has got electricity flying through it, you can disrupt it."

The weapon will be fitted to army support vehicles and trialled by the 7th Air Defence Group, the Army's units which specialise in ground to air defences, from the summer, he added.

Mr Cork continued: "Just turning things off when we choose to turn things off leads to a potential where actually they [the enemy] stop trusting their own equipment.

"It creates that element of doubt in their ability to use their equipment when they need to use it."

There is a worry, however, that the technology could impact pacemakers' ability to work, with research continuing.

DragonFire

Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, said such weapons would have a "large part to play in future conflicts".

He went on to suggest military laser DragonFire could also be fast-tracked to Ukraine to help combat Russian drones.

It is expected to be ready for deployment by 2027 at the latest - five years earlier than originally planned.

Catholics across the world pray for Pope Benedict XVI as his body lies in stateCatholics across the world pray for Pope Benedict XVI as his body lies in state

Royal Navy ships will be fitted with the laser weapon.

Mr Shapps said he aimed to "speed up production" further considering "two big conflicts" in Ukraine and the Red Sea are currently ongoing that could use the new tech.

The weapon uses radio frequency to disrupt communication
The weapon uses radio frequency to disrupt communication
Ocean's Eleven sees a team of conmen use similar tech to gain access to a Vegas vault
Ocean's Eleven sees a team of conmen use similar tech to gain access to a Vegas vaultCredit: Alamy

Ryan Merrifield

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