The Military Is Shooting Down Drones With Laser Weapons
Laser weapons used to be something you’d only see in science fiction movies, but not anymore. Welcome to the future! The U.S. military is now shooting down drones with them.
The Army has now officially sent two high-energy lasers overseas. These lasers are designed to shoot down enemy drones from the sky. This is a big step forward in the U.S. military’s work on futuristic energy weapons.
Unknown Location
A spokesperson stated that the 20-kilowatt Palletized High Energy Laser, or P-HEL, “is presently in deployment to aid the Army’s mission” at an undisclosed foreign location. The P-HEL is developed from BlueHalo’s LOCUST Laser Weapon System.
Operational Deployment
Previously, the Army’s leading general overseeing counter-drone initiatives had mentioned that various laser weapons systems were undergoing “operational assessments” within the U.S. Central Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command regions. The operational deployment of the P-HEL marks the U.S. military’s first publicly acknowledged use of a functional laser weapon for air defense, transitioning from experimental testing to practical application.
Downed Drone?
The military didn’t say whether the weapons had downed an enemy drone yet. An Army spokesman said, “The Army remains committed to testing and integrating cutting-edge technologies, such as directed energy, as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of our soldiers and effectively support the United States’ mission.”
How Laser Weapons Work
Laser weapons turn electrical power into a super-intense beam of photons. This beam, focused through a beam director, can melt through all sorts of stuff, from the body of a drone to a rocket or mortar and even a boat. It’s truly powerful!
Where Are They?
The military won’t say where the P-HEL systems are. However, last year, after weeks of rocket and missile attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria, the Pentagon spokesman said, “I don’t want to delve into the exact capabilities we’re employing to safeguard our forces, except to mention that we have a diverse array, which indeed encompasses directed-energy capabilities.”
The Dangers Of Drones
In March, the head of U.S. Central Command said the Army “sent us some directed-energy, mobile, short-range air defense that we are experimenting with right now over in the Middle East.” U.S. military leaders view inexpensive assault drones as the primary threat to American troops in the Middle East, comparable to the danger posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Death Toll
In January, a drone attack on a military outpost in Jordan resulted in the deaths of three American service members. By February, the Pentagon had recorded over 183 casualties among troops in Iraq and Syria, including more than 130 traumatic brain injuries due to drone and missile attacks.
Cost-Effective
This approach aims to shift from expensive conventional munitions, like the Standard Missile-2 and Stinger missile, which have high costs, towards cost-effective counter-drone solutions. The Army’s fiscal 2025 budget allocates approximately $447 million for counter-drone programs, with $140 million dedicated to laser weapons. On average, laser weapons only cost about $1 and $10 per shot.
Urgent Order
In April, the Navy placed an “urgent” order with MSI Defense Solutions for the truck-mounted Electronic Advanced Ground Launcher Systems (EAGLS). These systems are equipped with laser-guided Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II rockets, priced at $25,000 each, to counter “emerging and persistent [drone] threats.”
Microwave Weapons
The military is also exploring the options of “microwave weapons.” Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla said, “The bigger concern is if you start talking about [drone] swarms, so we need to continue to invest in things like high-powered microwave to be able to counter a drone swarm that is coming at you. I mean, nothing is 100%. And at some point, the law of statistics will come up to you. You have to have layered defense.”
Most Powerful Laser
The military’s most powerful laser is the 300-kilowatt Indirect Fire Protection Capability-High Energy Laser (IFPC-HEL). It’s aimed at possibly countering incoming cruise missiles. Last year, the service contracted BlueHalo, the manufacturer of P-HEL, for an extra 20-kilowatt laser system designated for the Army Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL). This system is set to be integrated into the Infantry Squad Vehicle, which is currently under development.
Pentagon Budget
The Pentagon allocates roughly $1 billion annually to directed-energy weapons. 31 systems are in developmental stages, most of which are laser weapons.
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