Pentagon awards contracts for high-power laser weapons to counter drones and cruise missiles

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded contracts to nLIGHT Defense and Lockheed Martin Aculight to develop high-energy laser weapon systems designed to intercept cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), AzerNEWS reports.

According to the Pentagon, the project is being carried out under the Joint Laser Weapon Systems (JLWS) program, which aims to equip the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy with directed-energy weapons delivering between 300 and 500 kilowatts of power.

The contracts carry an initial value of $86 million, with a maximum potential value of $847 million, reflecting the Pentagon's long-term commitment to advancing next-generation air defense technologies.

The new laser weapon is expected to become one of the tactical components of the United States' "Golden Dome" strategic missile defense initiative, a broader effort to strengthen the country's layered air and missile defense capabilities against evolving aerial threats.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said recent testing demonstrated that the high-energy laser systems were capable of effectively neutralizing both unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles, underscoring their potential as a cost-effective and rapid-response solution for modern battlefield defense.