The US Army successfully used a 20-kilowatt High-Energy Multipurpose Laser (AMP-HEL) system to shoot down three drones near the US-Mexico border in an operation led by Joint Task Force Southern Border. The laser, developed by AeroVironment as part of the Locust Laser Weapon System, was mounted on military vehicles and marks a real-world deployment of directed energy weapon technology.
Background
Directed energy weapons have long been in development for military applications, but real-world combat deployment of high-power laser systems remains rare. The US Army's AMP-HEL program has been progressing since 2025 to field practical anti-drone and multi-role laser weapons.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Sep 2, 2026 at 09:04 PM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10