By Philip Butterworth-Hayes
Over the last three years the US has committed over USD2.6 billion in funding research, development and acquisition of military laser weapon systems, according to Unmanned Airspace research. Currently there are around 20 countries in the world developing and deploying over 50 laser-based counter-UAS systems, in broadly, four areas: airborne, tactical, naval and infrastructure protection, with system capabilities ranging from 2kW to over 500 kW.
The figures, taken from Unmanned Airspace 2025 Global Counter-UAS Systems Directory, show that US military C-UAS laser weapon investment has focused on two key areas: protection of soldiers and vehicles on the battlefield from lone drone attacks and infrastructure protection against swarms. The research has been aimed specifically at ruggedising 20kW class laser systems for vehicle protection and integrating 100kW laser weapons with AI-based targeting and fire control systems.
Israel’s government recently invested around USD500 million to extend its Iron Beam defence system and the UK has invested probably a similar amount in four programmes – RF Dew, Laser Directed Energy Weapon Land Demonstrator, DragonFire and DSTL’s Weapons Sector Research Framework.
Despite this considerable investment there is little public evidence that any of the systems have reached a level of maturity to protect the cities of Ukraine.
But in the drone war above Ukraine there is an evolutionary cycle with a predicable end-state: on the one side, AI enabled drone swarms exploiting machine learning and quantum technologies for navigation, targeting and communications while on the other, AI-enabled C-UAS direct energy weapon systems which can affordably shoot drone swarms out of the sky in seconds.
While many manufacturers have demonstrated in trials that lasers can defeat small drones, the number of successful battlefield engagements against real enemies is still relatively small. In February 2025, Ukrainian officials announced the successful use of their domestic Tryzub laser weapon system against a drone while in May 2025 Rafael announced that its high-power laser systems have been used “to intercept aerial threats in combat during Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza.”
Laser systems are complex and expensive, especially if they are being designed to take on swarms. Designers must integrate long-range detection with close-in identification and targeting sensors, linked to target prioritisation and sequencing software which allows for a three/four second engagement rate per target (in a 100kW laser for example) before moving to the next one, all within an AI-enable command and control system which can operate far faster than any human. They need a constant power source and a seriously effective cooling system. Problems with laser weapons include their susceptibility to atmospheric conditions like fog, dust, and rain, which scatter or absorb the beam. Smoke and reflective surfaces can also reduce their effectiveness.
Despite these issues, we are on the verge of widespread implementation of both tactical (mobile) and infrastructure protection (fixed) systems, with one commercial supplier EOS having recently sold an operational fixed system to a European NATO nation.
But in terms of affordability (once the initial purchase price has been taken care of – a100kW system can cost as much as USD50 million) and effectiveness they offer the best protection against current future drone threats, with manufacturers quoting USD0.15 to USD1.00 per engagement.
Unmanned Airspace research shows that the last two years have seen countries such as Azerbaijan and India invested heavily in laser weapons, with India’s DRDO developing a 100 kW system following the successful testing earlier this year of its 30 kW Mk-II(A) system – though Indian officials say these larger systems are unlikely to enter service this decade. In September 2024, Azerbaijan’s 30kW Fireforce system was demonstrated at the ADEX-2024 exhibition in Baku. The following table, a very edited version of the “Directed energy” section from Unmanned Airspace 2025 Global Counter-UAS Systems Directory, lists some of the key programmes under way around the world.
Leading global laser-based C-UAS programmes
Airborne
| General Atomics | DGHELWS | In April 2025 General Atomics reported it was working on a joint programme within the US Department of Defense looking to deliver airborne laser weapons to the MQ-9 fleet currently fielded in the US Air Force and US Marine Corps.
|
Tactical (vehicle protection)
| AeroVironment (AV) | AMP-HEL | The AMP-HEL prototype systems feature AV’s 20kW-class LOCUST™ LWS integrated on the General Motors Defense Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) |
| AIM Defence | Fractl:2DE | |
| Aurelius Systems | Archimedes | |
| Boeing | CLWS
CHAMPS |
Boeing’s Compact Laser Weapon System (CLWS) in October 2024 engaged and defeated Group 3 drones with a 5-kilowatt laser at the Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Center in Saudi Arabia, reports Boeing.
|
| Boeing/General Dynamics | MEHEL 2.0 | MEHEL is a laser testbed on a Stryker-armored fighting vehicle chassis and serves as a platform for research and development. MEHEL 2.0 is an improved version of the original MEHEL with a laser upgraded from 2kW to 5kW and other added C-UAS capabilities. |
| Epirus | Leonardas ExDECS | Leonidas Expeditionary, or ExDECS, is a modular and scalable system designed to fit on a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle trailer and assist Low Altitude Air Defence in expeditionary operations. It is designed to be compact and manoeuvrable |
| Hanwha | Skylight | |
| IPG Photonics | CROSSBOW MINI | |
| Kawasaki Heavy Industries | C-UAS lasers | In March 2023 Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) displayed a prototype 2kW counter-UAS laser system, capable of eliminating a drone target at 100m. A 100kW version was delivered to the Japanese Ministry of Defence early in 2023.
|
| Kratos Defense and Security | HELEX | Kratos’ HELEX system comprises a 25+ kW laser beam
|
| Laser Photonics/ Fonon | LSAD | |
| Leidos | HPM C-UAS | |
| Leonardo DRS | SPEAR | |
| Lockheed Martin | HPM
AHEL TALWS |
|
| Ministry of Defence (UK)/NP Aerospace, Raytheon UK | Laser Directed Energy Weapon Land Demonstrator/WolfHound
|
The 15-kW laser Raytheon HELWS system offers potential defence against aerial threats such as uncrewed aerial systems.
|
| Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | C-UAS laser | The 10 kW can engage a drone 1.2 kilometres away in 2 to 3 seconds. The system can be fitted onto ground vehicles. |
| N/a | Fireforce | The 30kW Fireforce system was demonstrated at the ADEX-2024 exhibition in Baku. Weighing 900kg, it is designed to be mounted on light armoured vehicle. |
| Northrop Grumman | Phantom | The 10kW class high-energy laser, known as Phantom, is about 12 cubic feet (nearly the size of a mini fridge).. |
| Raytheon | MRZR | |
| Thor Dynamics | Laser Armor | In August 2025 the United States Army selected Thor Dynamics’ Laser Armor counter-drone system for its xTechOverwatch programme. |
Naval
| ARGE | HEL | The German frigate Sachsen successfully engaged drones at short and very short range in the Baltic Sea near Putlos Major Training Area in August 2022. |
| CILAS | HELMA-P | CILAS has been testing the laser system on target drones in France since 2020. The system consists of a 2-axis turret with a set of optical sensors and the laser weapon itself which has a power of 2 KW. |
| DSTL | DragonFire | In April 2024 the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced that the DragonFire laser will be installed on Royal Navy warships for the first time from 2027. |
| Lockheed Martin
|
HELIOS | In August 2022 Lockheed Martin delivered to the Navy a 60+ kW HELIOS system. |
| MZA Associates | HELWS | |
| VTG Defense | ODIN |
|
Static defence/100kW plus
| Aselsan | GÖKBERK | It is designed for continuous operation and is expected to play a part in the Turkish multi-layered aerial defence platform Steel Dome. |
| Coherent Aerospace and Defense | SONGBOW | SONGBOW envisages the development and deployment of a 400-kilowatt laser, which will require combining multiple 50-kilowatt pulsed fibre laser modules into a single, coherent beam. |
| DRDO (India) | 100kW DEW | DRDO has initiated a project – Directionally Unrestricted Ray-Gun Array (DURGA) II, which is a 100-kilowatt lightweight DEW”. |
| EOS | Apollo | Electro Optic Systems (EOS) in August 2025 secured the world’s first export contract for its 100 kW-class High Energy Laser Weapon (HELW) with a European NATO member state. |
| HII | HEL | The system will be capable of fixed-site defence and/or integration onto US Army vehicles. |
| Leonardo/MBDA | Fire Unit Laser Direct Energy Weapon | |
| Lockheed Martin
|
HELSI, IPC-HEL, HEL-TVD, DEIMOS, ATHENA | In September 2023 Lockheed Martin announced it was developing its next iteration to 500kW output – the most powerful laser the company has produced. |
| Lockheed Martin Aculight | HEL | |
| MBDA Deutschland | High-Energy Laser Weapon System | MBDA is examining laser-armament options for naval and air applications as well as ground-based mobile laser effector concepts with capacities in excess of 100kW. |
| Ministry of Defence (Ukraine) | Tryzub | |
| QinetiQ | WSRF | |
| Rafael Advanced Defense Systems | Drone Dome, I-Dome, Iron Beam | Iron Beam is a 100kW class High Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWS).
|
| Raytheon/RTX | CHIMERA, HPMW, HELWS | |
| Roketsan | Alka | |
| Team HERSA | RF DREW | |
| SAIC | RCCTO HEL | |
| UAVOS/Grade One Group | C-UAS laser |
The Unmanned Airspace 2025 Global Counter-UAS Systems Directory is the world’s only comprehensive, updated directory of global C-UAS companies and systems. It itemises over 1,000 C-UAS products and services with performance details, company sales and partnerships arrangements. It is updated every month and broken down into niche sub-sectors (net-capture, missiles, intercept drones, detectors etc) to give C-UAS procurement and industry personnel a unique perspective of global C-UAS technical capabilities and market positions. It is available in word, PDF and excel formats and Unmanned Airspace readers are eligible for a range of discounts. For more information about the Directory please contact the editor Philip Butterworth-Hayes at philip@unmannedairspace.info.
