Laser weapons reached a brand new milestone because the US Navy examined the AeroVironment (AV) LOCUST Laser Weapon System (LWS) aboard the nuclear plane provider USS George H W Bush (CVN-77), notching up a 100% kill fee in opposition to a number of aerial drone threats.
The ocean checks of the LOCUST laser weapon, which occurred on October 5, 2025, mark a major advance within the shift in naval technique towards directed vitality weapons. Beforehand, lasers and comparable weapons examined have been within the high-megawatt vary and completely put in aboard ships.
The LOCUST represents a pivot from this strategy. As a substitute of a set set up, it is a Palletized Excessive Vitality Laser (P-HEL) that may be mounted on a comparatively small land vehicle or positioned on a ship’s deck by forklift in what appears to be like like an strange transport container.
The Spectrally Beam Mixed (SBC) laser with an output of over 35 kW might be made operational in quarter-hour from power-up utilizing the ship’s electrical grid or an inside battery. Based on AeroVironment, LOCUST is designed to be extremely intuitive, and sailors can function it with lower than an hour of specialised coaching, protecting the complete course of from detection to monitoring to firing.
Although it might probably take out Unmanned Plane Techniques (UAS) and Unmanned Floor Vessels (USV) in teams 1 to three, the three,400-lb (1,542-kg) laser weapon might be rapidly eliminated as soon as it is not wanted. This was the case aboard the USS Bush, the place it was arrange on deck for the take a look at after which rapidly eliminated to permit for normal flight operations.
Because of this when a provider is in port or in restricted waters the place flight operations aren’t doable, the ship might be successfully shielded from drone threats after which rapidly revert to flight standing.
However what stands out within the newest checks is the power of LOCUST to detect, observe, and destroy all the drones despatched in opposition to it. That is notably important at sea the place monitoring and destroying is extraordinarily such threats is extraordinarily tough with a laser – or some other weapon, for that matter.
Along with testing its fight capabilities, the USS Bush trials demonstrated the power of the electronics to resist salt fog, humidity, and vibration; how the stabilization techniques can compensate for the ship’s movement; the effectiveness of the environmental safety to permit for fast deployment; and the power of LOCUST to be exact in focusing on with minimal collateral injury or interference with pleasant plane.
“LOCUST delivers efficient, all-domain safety in opposition to rising drone threats on the pace of sunshine – on any platform, in any area, for any mission,” stated John Garrity, Vice President of Directed Vitality Techniques at AV. “Rolling LOCUST onto a ship and rapidly initiating operations facilitates the expanded use of high-energy lasers throughout the Fleet with out the necessity for expensive, time-consuming ship modifications. It is a game-changer for the Navy and for our nationwide safety.”
Supply: Aerovironment
