Navy’s decision to field the HELIOS system as part of the Aegis Combat System, an integrated naval weapons solution that currently equips 113 ships in the U.S. The analysts further suggested that the U.S. Russian forces have sought an alternative to the expensive missiles fired by its Tor and Pantsir anti-aircraft systems. In May Russia claimed to have used a laser against a drone in Ukraine – possibly as a way to find a solution to combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). “The UK’s Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) program, colloquially known as ‘Dragonfire,’ only completed the preliminary trails of their high-energy laser this July, while Israel announced earlier this month that its flagship Iron Beam LWS continues to undergo late-stage development,” Sauer explained, adding, “Only the Russian military’s Zadira-16, several of which were reportedly deployed to Ukraine, could be considered a widely operational high-energy LWS, and even then, the veracity of those reports remains difficult to assess.”
Creating something that once existed only in the realm of sci-fi doesn’t come easy. Other efforts to develop DEWs continues, but international progress remains slow. “For example, both the Chinese military’s 30kW Silent Hunter and LW-30 laser weapons systems have yet to be fielded en-masse.” “Though the pace of global DEW development has certainly accelerated over the past decade, producing combat-ready high-energy lasers remain a significant challenge with very few states purporting to have fielded operational high-energy lasers,” Sauer continued. HELIOS is a unique scalable 60kW LWS enabling the integration of multiple fire modes, and is thus capable of dazzling electro-optical sensors and gathering intelligence as well as inflicting significant thermal damage to hostile targets, a versatile and transformative weapons capability that still remains unattainable for many nations worldwide. defense industry has made significant strides in the field of DEW development over the past few years, as Lockheed Martin was able to transition from design to prototype in a mere two years following the award of the initial $150 million contract under the Surface Navy Laser Weapons Systems (SNLWS) Increment 1 program in 2018,” said Tristan Sauer, land domain analyst at international analytics firm GlobalData, explained in an interview with 19FortyFive.Īs GlobalData noted, the first prototype HELIOS laser weapons system (LWS) was already being integrated on an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in 2020, while the second went to the White Sands Missile Range for laboratory testing that same year. HELIOS leverages technology building blocks from significant, long-term internal research and development projects that continue to advance the Navy’s goal for fielding laser weapon systems aboard surface ships and putting the Navy on the right side of the cost curve for threat engagements.”
Lockheed Martin was awarded the Surface Navy Laser Weapon System (SNLWS) Increment 1, known as HELIOS, contract in January 2018 and has made steady progress on this rapid Directed Energy prototype.Īccording to Lockheed Martin, “The HELIOS system’s deep magazine, low cost per kill, speed of light delivery, and precision response enable it to address Fleet needs now and its mature, scalable architecture supports increased laser power levels to counter additional threats in the future. The defense giant has also suggested the potentially “game-changing” HELIOS system could also support long-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. HELIOS represents a solid foundation for incremental delivery of robust and powerful laser weapon system capabilities.” “HELIOS enhances the overall combat system effectiveness of the ship to deter future threats and provide additional protection for Sailors, and we understand we must provide scalable solutions customized to the Navy’s priorities. Navy share a common vision and enthusiasm for developing and providing disruptive laser weapon systems,” said Rick Cordaro, vice president, Lockheed Martin Advanced Product Solutions. Integrated and scalable by design, the multi-mission HELIOS system will reportedly be able to provide tactically relevant laser weapon system warfighting capability as a key element of layered defense architecture. It is the first tactical laser weapon system to be incorporated into existing ships and provides directed energy capability to the fleet. Navy a 60+ kW-class high-energy laser with integrated optical dazzler and surveillance (HELIOS). A staple of science-fiction is now very real, as Lockheed Martin announced that it has delivered to the U.S.
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