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U.S. Army using laser weapons on the battlefield
October 7, 2024 - After decades of research and development, the U.S. military is officially using battlefield laser weapons, with its 20-kilowatt P-HEL system deployed in combat zones overseas.
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Deployed in 2022, the P-HEL (Palletised High Energy Laser) has shot down multiple attacking drones at an unspecified location in the Middle East.
At its heart is the BlueHalo Locust, a 1.5 tonne solid-state laser system with its own target-tracking radar, guided with an Xbox controller, which provides 360-degree coverage for air defence.
The P-HEL's employment comes as the U.S. military seeks to bolster its air defence capabilities to protect service members abroad not just with expensive conventional munitions but effective, lower-cost, counter-drone solutions that can knock incoming threats out of the sky without breaking the bank.