The United States military has invested heavily in directed energy weapons over the past fifty years, with recent advancements leading to their use in combat. Army has used lasers to shoot down hostile drones in the Middle East for the first time. One such weapon is the P-HEL system, based on BlueHalo’s Locust laser, designed to quickly melt critical points on drones, knocking them out of the sky. The system has shown success in taking down drones in multiple engagements.
The use of laser weapons in combat is a significant milestone for the Pentagon, especially in the face of rising defense costs associated with unmanned aerial combat. Laser weapons are not only cheaper to operate compared to traditional air defense missiles but also offer a stealth advantage as the beams are invisible and silent. However, challenges remain in terms of their effectiveness, especially in adverse weather conditions that can hamper their operation.
While laser weapons are expensive to build, the potential cost savings in the long run could make them a worthwhile investment for the military. The Pentagon has been spending roughly a billion dollars a year on directed energy research since 2020, with several systems already deployed for field testing. The Navy, in particular, has been working on installing laser weapons on its destroyers to counter enemy drones and small boats.
In addition to laser weapons, the military is also exploring the use of high-powered microwave weapons, which do not have the same weather limitations as lasers but tend to have a shorter range. Epirus has developed a system called Leonidas that can take down multiple drones simultaneously, offering a last line of defense in air defense. The Army is currently testing prototypes of these systems and is hopeful of advancing to overseas field deployment soon.
The future of laser weapons in the military looks promising, with efforts underway to develop more powerful systems that can take on larger and faster targets like cruise missiles. The U.S. is also investing in an Israeli effort called Iron Beam, which is designed to defeat rockets and drones. If the current laser prototypes are mass-produced, it could take some time for defense contractors to ramp up production due to limited funding and multiple competing priorities within the Pentagon.
Overall, the successful use of laser weapons in combat represents a significant advancement in military technology, with potential cost savings and improved effectiveness in countering modern threats. As the Pentagon continues to invest in directed energy research and development, the hope is to field these systems at scale in the future to better protect U.S. forces in the ever-evolving battlefield.
