U.S. Army Awarded Its First Contract for the Production of Laser Weapons

The U.S. Army has awarded AeroVironment a contract to produce high-energy laser weapons as part of the Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program. This is the U.S. Army’s first production contract for such a weapon system.

The official U.S. Army publication announced this.

AeroVironment revealed that the contract is worth $464.8 million and calls for the procurement of LOCUST systems to counter UAVs.

“This first-of-its-kind directed-energy program will enable our forces to neutralize unmanned systems and dominate from the outset. The combination of human ingenuity and cutting-edge technology ensures that our Army will continue to stay ahead of America’s adversaries,” General Christopher LaNeve, Deputy Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, stated.

Under the agreement, the company will deliver “dozens” of LOCUST X3 laser systems over the next few years to support long-term deployment plans.

The systems are intended to strengthen the U.S. Army’s multi-layered air defense against Group 1–3 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and to establish directed-energy weapons as a key component of future combat operations.

The LOCUST X3 is a 30-kW system. It can be integrated onto various platforms depending on requirements. Specifically, in September 2025, AeroVironment delivered prototypes to the U.S. Army mounted on the chassis of the M1301 Infantry Squad Vehicle.

Subsequently, as part of the second phase of LOCUST’s development, on December 18 of the same year, the company delivered two more systems mounted on the wheeled chassis of the JLTV armored vehicle. The system can also be used as a standalone container.

The E-HEL program is based on the results of testing the Army Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) prototypes, which are already in service with the U.S. Army.

It was reported that during testing, the system demonstrated safe and effective countermeasures against drones in U.S. airspace. The company emphasized that these tests directly contributed to the conclusion of an agreement between the U.S. Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration regarding the safe use of the system within the country.

It is reported that in February 2026, an incident involving LOCUST occurred while the system was being tested near the Mexican border, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to close the airspace over El Paso, Texas.

During the tests, the device locked onto and shot down a drone operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at the Mexican border.