Full Breakdown
U.S. Military Advances War-Ready Laser Weapons
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Core Development and Deployment
The United States is fielding high-energy laser systems—referred to as “Dazzlers” and the High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) platform—to counter drones and incoming cruise missiles in the Strait of Hormuz and other Middle-East theaters. The lasers, which emit a focused 60-kilowatt beam, are mounted on battleships and other large vessels; they are operated by soldiers using reconfigured Xbox-style game controllers. A half-billion-dollar contract awarded to AeroVironment, Inc. funds production of the Army’s Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) system, marking the service’s first production contract for a high-energy laser weapon.
Background and Funding
The laser program, described as a 50-year effort, has moved from laboratory testing to operational use. In addition to maritime deployments, the Joint Task Force Southern Border has employed the technology to shoot down at least 11 drug-smuggling drones launched from Mexico. The Department of War confirmed that the lasers can disable sensors or explode targets after several seconds of “dwell time” on the beam.
Data and Capabilities
- 60 kW laser power (HELIOS) capable of destroying small drones and, according to Boeing, the Compact Laser Weapon System (CLWS) can neutralize Group 3 drones weighing up to 1,300 lb.
- Effectiveness depends on clear-sky conditions; the systems struggle against swarms of drones.
- The weapons are large and heavy, requiring ship-board installation rather than portable soldier-carried units.
Official Statements & Responses
Brent Ziarnick, senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, noted that solid-state lasers have few moving parts and that sufficient energy could provide a defensive system with minimal ammunition logistics. In June, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth attended a laser-weapon demonstration at White Sands Missile Range and, after brief training, successfully shot down a drone using the Xbox-style controller.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Solid state lasers have very few moving parts,” — Brent Ziarnick