Although it has a late start, the United Kingdom has started plans to join the U.S. in the laser weapons race and announced its intention to develop a laser weapon in the next couple of years, seeking defense contractors willing to take on the project.

The U.K. Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced its objective to develop a laser weapon prototype in 2014 but did not give a formal notice until February, according to IHS Jane's 360. The MoD seeks a company to take on the Laser Directed Energy Weapon Capability Demonstrator (LDEW CD), a project to build a prototype high power laser directed energy weapon.

In mid-April, the MoD's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) will hold a briefing on the project for interested contractors.

The aim of the project, the Dstl explains, "is to enhance the UK's understanding of the capability of laser-based weapon system, as well as assisting in the prediction of the anticipated system performance." It added that the project "will consist of system studies and hardware trials, culminating in a number of practical demonstrations."

No specifications for the project have been announced. The Dstl hopes to award one company with a contract that will only cover the design, build and test of the capability demonstrator. It "is not expected that a single supplier would be able to fulfill [the project] requirement in its entirety," the Dstl explained, meaning that contractors could cooperate in developing certain technologies.

The Telegraph reports the project will cost between £20 million and £100 million and trials will test the prototype's capabilities to "detect, acquire and track targets at range and in varying weather conditions, with sufficient precision."

When the MoD made the initial announcement in 2014, the office said the project would last around four years, Defense News reported.

"The project aims to assess a number of sub-systems that will potentially be incorporated into a working developmental system for testing," said a MoD spokesperson. "We intend to conduct outdoor testing at a range, but exact details are yet to be determined."

Among the companies possibly competing for the contract are MBDA, Lockheed Martin UK, Qinetiq, Thales UK, and Raytheon UK.

The U.S. is currently testing a laser system called LaWS aboard USS Ponce, undergoing trials on the Persian Gulf.

Ben Goodlad, principal weapons analyst at IHS Aerospace, Defence and Security, told the Telegraph laser weapons will see front line introduction in the next decade.

"The only thing we haven't got yet is industrial production of laser weapons, they are all testing so far," he said.

He explained laser weapons will mostly be used at close range for self-defense against missiles, incoming aircraft, and ships. Nonetheless, once the technology is established it will be more economical and practical as it "doesn't require reloading or a logistics chain."