In September 2021 the US Office of Naval Research (ONR) awarded a USD18.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to MZA Associates to develop the C-UAS High Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWS), according to a US DoD contract notice.
The Office of Naval Research is supporting development of directed-energy weapons that cause physical damage that degrades, neutralizes, defeats, or destroys enemy capabilities such as UAVs.
MZA engineers will design, develop, deliver, integrate, test, and demonstrate a compact, portable, low-cost and reliable C-UAS HELWS using the latest available commercial components. The contract is due completion in August 2023, with further options to continue until August 2025. Initial research funds for USD9.3 million have been released in the current fiscal year.
MZA Associates specializes in modeling, analysis, design, development, integration, and testing of high-energy laser and advanced optical systems in support of advanced beam-control systems, atmospheric characterization, and optical systems engineering.
