US Army Moves First High-Energy Laser Into Production With $465M AV Deal
The US Army has awarded AeroVironment (AV) a $464.8-million contract to supply LOCUST laser weapons, marking the service’s first production contract for a high-energy laser weapon system.
Under the Other Transaction Agreement, AV is tasked to deliver “dozens” of LOCUST X3 systems “over the next few years” and provide ongoing system support and training under the army’s Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) counter-drone program.
Production will be supported by a $30-million investment in the company’s Albuquerque facility in New Mexico, first announced in March.
The contract follows LOCUST’s “first-of-its-kind” counter-drone test with the Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration, also in March.
Low-Cost Counter-Drone System
E-HEL systems are designed to counter drone threats at a lower cost per shot than expensive kinetic interceptors such as the PAC-3, while offering a replenishable firing capacity from its onboard power supply.
The army developed the program using a modular open systems approach and designed it for operational flexibility to enable deployment from fixed bases, semi-fixed tactical sites, and mobile combat vehicles.
In March, AV unveiled the platform-agnostic LOCUST X3 system with a 30-kilowatt laser.
It is designed to engage uncrewed aerial systems that fall under the Pentagon’s Group 1 to 3 classification.
Building on earlier systems fielded under the US Army’s Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) prototyping initiative, the LOCUST X3 is planned for integration with various platforms, including Joint Light Tactical Vehicles and possibly Infantry Squad Vehicles.
“This program represents the culmination of years of operational lessons learned and rapid prototyping,” said John Garrity, VP of Directed Energy Systems at AV.
“E-HEL is not a future capability, it is a production-ready system, built on proven technology, and designed to meet the demands of today’s fight while scaling for tomorrow’s threats.”
Source: Defence Post
