Pentagon taps Lockheed and nLight for missile-zapping laser
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Lockheed Martin and nLight are developing high-energy laser weapons that, eventually, will be capable of downing both drones and cruise missiles, the U.S. Defense Department announced.
Why it matters: The initial contracts, announced July 9, are worth $86 million.
- The overall ceiling is pegged at $847 million.
The intrigue: Word of these Joint Laser Weapon System deals comes shortly after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Pentagon chief technology officer Emil Michael attended a directed-energy-weapon demonstration at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
- At the time, Hegseth said he watched "incoming drones and cruise missiles" get stopped "dead in their tracks."
- Both Lockheed and nLight participated in the demo. So did AeroVironment.
Zoom in: The first JLWS prototypes will be 150 kW strong. Future versions will hit 300–500 kW, usable for missile defense, the Pentagon said.
Yes, but: Zapping a cheap quadcopter is one thing. A cruise missile is another.
- Directed-energy interceptions are complicated by atmospheric conditions like fog; line-of-sight and power fall-off considerations; and hardening or special materials aboard a target.
Flashback: The Trump administration included more than $2 billion for directed-energy research, development and testing in its fiscal 2027 budget proposal.
My thought bubble: Read the Laser Wars blog, written by Jared Keller. He scooped both the JLWS and White Sands stories.
More from Axios:
Aurelius aims to be America's one-stop laser shop
U.S. Navy "should be embarrassed" by lack of lasers, says admiral
Laser weapon that shut down El Paso's skies was LOCUST system
