US Army Prepares 20-Laser Drone Defense Buy Worth Hundreds of Millions
Updated
Updated · WIRED · Aug 4
US Army Prepares 20-Laser Drone Defense Buy Worth Hundreds of Millions
3 articles · Updated · WIRED · Aug 4
Summary
Hundreds of millions of dollars could soon go to AeroVironment for up to 20 Enduring High Energy Laser systems, with an Army announcement possible this week.
The deal would make E-HEL the Army’s first laser weapon program of record, shifting the technology from scattered tests to a formally budgeted, deployable capability for bases worldwide.
Cheap attack drones drove the push after the U.S. burned $4 million Patriot missiles against roughly $35,000 Iranian drones and faced mounting pressure from conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.
Fiber-laser advances, machine vision and adaptive optics have made the systems practical enough to field, though lasers still struggle in rain or fog and can engage only one target at a time.
The Army is moving ahead despite mixed trials—including mistaken shoots near El Paso—betting lasers can cheaply complement, not replace, conventional air defenses against drone swarms.