Pentagon is spending big on lasers to shoot down hostile drones and cruise missiles
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Editor's Note: This article by Chris Panella was originally published by Business Insider . The Department of Defense is investing millions of dollars in new laser weapons that can shoot down enemy drones and cruise missiles. Laser weapons are experimental, and the U.S. has spent years developing the concept for land, air, and sea. Officials believe lasers could add to defensive arsenals and help reduce the strain on traditional interceptors as a lower-cost-per-shot option. On Thursday, DoD announced agreements in support of its Joint Laser Weapon Systems program with nLIGHT Defense, a high-power laser developer, and Lockheed Martin Aculight, the prime's laser weapon division. The initial DoD award value is $86 million with a total program maximum of $847 million. "By developing containerized high-energy laser weapons , the Department aims to provide combatant commanders with scalable, cost-effective intercept solutions for asymmetric and high-tier adversary threats," the Pentagon said in a press release. Due to "urgent operational demands," the initial laser weapon prototypes will have approximately 150 kilowatts of power, but DoD expects to boost that to a range of 300 to 500kW, which is the anticipated power needed to counter cruise missiles. The announcement said that a separate "laser source" will develop a 500kW solution as part of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering's High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative (HELSI). "We must actively defend the homeland against emerging threats," Emil Michael, under secretary of defense for research and engineering, said, per the release. "We are partnering with industry to rapidly deliver deep magazine directed energy capabilities to the Joint Force that can be seamlessly deployed across multiple domains." DoD has long looked to lasers as cheaper, more sustainable air defense options, especially for hitting inexpensive targets like drones rather than expending high-value missiles or interce
AI 시장 분석
The U.S. Department of Defense is developing laser weapons to shoot down enemy drones and cruise missiles. While experimental, the U.S. has invested for years in land, air, and sea-based laser weapon development. These weapons offer a lower-cost alternative to traditional interceptors, helping to expand defensive stockpiles and reduce interceptor demand. The DoD is supporting the Joint Laser Weapon Systems program through contracts with nLIGHT Defense and Lockheed Martin Aculight. The initial contract is $8.6 billion, with a program ceiling of $84.7 billion.
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- Defense — The U.S. DoD is investing $8.6 billion in laser weapon development, which offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional interceptors for neutralizing drones and cruise missiles.
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The shift toward laser weapon technology signifies a strategic move to address cost-inefficiencies in modern air defense. Traditional kinetic interceptors are expensive and finite; laser directed-energy systems provide a sustainable, lower-cost-per-shot solution that is critical for countering high-volume drone and missile threats. The involvement of nLIGHT Defense and Lockheed Martin underscores the government's commitment to scaling these technologies for multidomain operational deployment.
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