What Happened
US Military Invests In Directed Energy To Counter Drones And Missiles
The US Department of War has awarded two Joint Laser Weapon System agreements to nLIGHT Defense and Lockheed Martin Aculight, with the goal of developing field-ready laser systems to counter drones and cruise missiles. The program, which has an initial value of $86 million and a total program ceiling of $847 million, aims to transition directed energy capabilities from demonstration prototypes into production-oriented platforms. This development is part of a wider push to rebalance the cost equation of air defense, as seen in recent conflicts where interceptors worth millions of dollars were used against drones costing a few thousand each. The announcement was first reported by AeroTime.