Slovenia Joins the Elite Club: 23rd Nation to Acquire Leonardo’s Portable Laser Designation Technology

Leonardo has inked a deal to provide the Slovenian Defence Ministry with its Type 163 Laser Target Designator (LTD) for the Slovenian Armed Forces. This agreement positions Slovenia as the 23rd country to procure the Type 163 LTD, with Leonardo having sold over 700 units globally. The worldwide success of this device solidifies Leonardo’s dominance in the high-energy military laser sector, with the company’s location in Edinburgh, U.K., fulfilling 70% of international demand for airborne applications and approximately 60% of the entire market, including ground-based solutions.

By opting for the Type 163 LTD, Slovenia aligns itself with the Five Eyes intelligence coalition (comprising the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) as well as NATO affiliates such as Italy, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia in utilizing this technology.

The Type 163 LTD stands out as Leonardo’s most compact high-energy laser solution for ground forces. It was designed to meet the market’s demand for a lightweight and compact laser designator for Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs), offering exceptional portability without compromising the power and precision essential for effective and timely close air support missions.

The creation of the Type 163 LTD was heavily influenced by Leonardo’s extensive experience in providing high-energy targeting lasers for aircraft such as the F-35 and Apache helicopters, where space, weight, and power efficiency are critical. The finished product delivers industry-leading laser designation and range-finding performance in a package that weighs merely 2.3kg and has been field-tested in operations throughout the Middle East. Its features include immediate firing capability upon activation and continuous lasing functionality, producing a high-energy laser with minimal beam divergence.

Leonardo’s laser division encompasses the provision of lasers for the F-35, Apache helicopters, and targeting pods such as the Lockheed Martin Sniper. The company is currently advancing innovative laser capabilities for the UK’s Tempest next-generation combat air initiative and is a participant in the UK Dragonfire consortium, which is working on a laser directed-energy weapon alongside the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL).