Leonardo DRS joins U.S. Army's first production laser weapon program

Leonardo DRS will supply the power, cooling and vehicle integration hardware for the U.S. Army's first production laser weapon, after AeroVironment picked the company as a subcontractor on the Enduring-High Energy Laser program, DRS announced on Nov. 2. The work supports AeroVironment's production of its LOCUST X3, a 30-kilowatt laser designed to shoot down small drones. Neither company disclosed the value of the subcontract, how many systems it covers or when DRS will begin deliveries. The Army awarded AeroVironment the Enduring-High Energy Laser contract, known as E-HEL, on Sept. 2. The company valued the deal at $464.8 million, and the Army described it as the service's first production contract for a high-energy laser weapon. AeroVironment has said it will deliver "dozens" of LOCUST X3 systems over the next few years, and one report put the number at 26 lasers over five years. A laser weapon needs a large, steady supply of electricity to fire, and much of that energy turns into heat that has to be carried away so the system can keep shooting. DRS said it will provide those power management and environmental control systems, along with rugged integration work to mount the laser on military vehicles. AeroVironment designed the LOCUST X3 to fit different platforms, including the Army's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, and also offers a palletized version that can be moved and set up on the ground. "The Army's move to production reflects the growing importance of scalable, fieldable directed-energy capabilities in countering evolving UAS threats," said John Baylouny, president and chief executive officer of Leonardo DRS. The X3 is the third generation of AeroVironment's LOCUST family, which the company acquired when it bought BlueHalo in 2025. Earlier LOCUST lasers have been used by U.S. troops on counter-drone missions, and the Army has tested 20-kilowatt versions on Infantry Squad Vehicles and Joint Light Tactical Vehicles under its AMP-HEL prototype program. AeroVironment says each laser shot costs less than $10, compared with tens of thousands of dollars or more for an interceptor missile. DRS has worked with AeroVironment on laser weapons before. The company said it took part in a rapid prototyping effort with AeroVironment and other partners to build a mobile counter-drone laser into an armored vehicle, providing vehicle integration, power, cooling and systems engineering for U.S. government live-fire tests and training in 2024 and 2025. It did not name the vehicle. "Our team is applying experience in vehicle integration, power and thermal management to help AV deliver a mobile high-energy laser capability for the U.S. Army," said Aaron Hankins, vice president and general manager of Leonardo DRS Land Systems. AeroVironment has also won its first international LOCUST order, worth more than $50 million, announced in September.