On 18 August, Australia announced the successful field testing of a high-energy laser on home soil. What was significant about the test was that the laser’s development involved close technical collaboration between Japan and Australia.
In fact, this was the first formal co-development project between the quasi-allies. Involved were Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), Mitsubishi Electric Australia and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO).
This collaboration followed an agreement forged in September 2023. Chief defence scientist Professor Tanya Monro said at the time that the technology would “enhance surveillance and survivability of defence platforms”.
However, the latest press release was also very scant on what the laser is intended to do, and why it was described as a “world-first prototype laser system”. It revealed that it draws on 20+ years of research and development by DSTG and that it has “the potential to enhance surveillance capability”.
Defence Minister Richard Marles added that, mounted on ships or on land, the laser system offers “greater protection and situational awareness by using laser to optically detect incoming threats”.
This is different to the normal application for high-energy lasers right now, which is in counter-drone and air defence systems. This Boobook product has a different purpose, and seems to be used for detection rather than hard-kill.
Australia is already working with Fractl to develop a portable high-energy laser suitable for counter-drone tasks, and this was first tested in 2024. Likewise, MELCO has tested a 100kW laser aboard a Japanese naval vessel, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is developing a 10kW laser mounted on an 8×8 truck.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy remarked, “Boobook is more than a technology project. It’s a practical example of the growing defence industrial partnership between Australia and Japan, as well as the opportunities that partnership creates for both nations.”
He added that Boobook can “develop cutting-edge technologies that address real capability needs for the Australian Defence Force”.
The laser trials took place at Cultana Training Area and DSTG’s Edinburgh facility in South Australia. They “provided valuable insights into the system’s design and technical requirements, informing the next phases of development and commercialisation”.
Australia has outstanding ranges and training areas for such testing, something much harder to do in highly populated Japan. This test therefore paves the way for similar types of collaboration on Australian ranges in the future. Japan’s hypersonic missiles could end up being tested there, for instance.
Mitsubishi Electric Australia has already committed to establishing a new production facility in Rydalmere, New South Wales. It is investing A$70 million (US$49.7 million) in this new MEA Defence Division. The company aims to promote MELCO’s defence technologies in the Australian market.
This laser project had been mentioned in the Joint Statement on the 12th Japan-Australia 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations held in September 2025. However, that mention did not yield any substantive information either.
Of course, the major cooperative project between Australia and Japan right now is the former’s purchase of Upgraded Mogami frigates from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. However, other areas of collaboration include two completed robotics projects on marine hydrodynamics/hydro-acoustics and multi-vehicle autonomy; composite aerospace materials; the MQ-28A Ghost Bat; networked air and missile defence architecture; and underwater autonomous systems under AUKUS Pillar II.
by Gordon Arthur
