US Army Moves to Make Directed-Energy Lasers a Formal Part of Its Arsenal
TL;DR
The Pentagon is poised to sign a multi-hundred-million-dollar contract with AeroVironment to field Enduring High Energy Lasers as the Army’s first program-of-record directed-energy system, deploying compact laser units to bases worldwide to counter drone threats; lasers promise unlimited ammo as long as power holds, but face challenges in refire rate, weather, and scaling to large drone swarms, with prior demonstrations across the Navy and Air Force underscoring both potential and growing pains.
- Landmark Deal Would Officially Add Laser Weapons to US Army Arsenal wired.com
- Army expected to add counter-drone laser weapons to base defenses Task & Purpose
- From Sci-Fi To Standard Issue: US Military Set To Get High-Energy Laser Weapons To Burn Down Drone Swarms News18
- Laser air defenses will be operational before decade's end, Lockheed exec says Breaking Defense
- Lockheed Martin CEO says its laser weapon passed first Golden Dome missile-defense test, leading to new Pentagon contract weeks later Defence Industry Europe
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