Directed energy

How Laser Weapons are Changing the Defense Equation

In 2017, a U.S. military ally detected an unusual threat: a small quadcopter drone—the kind anyone can buy online for $200—was approaching. A $3 million Patriot missile was fired to take it down, eliminating the threat, but at a disproportionate cost. The incident highlights an issue armed forces worldwide face today: What is the best defense against a new generation of weapons?

With rapidly changing technology, warfare is evolving along similar lines around the globe. Today’s threats are technologically advanced, relatively low-cost, small-scale and lethal. Responding to several hundred inexpensive drones with our costliest missiles is not a sustainable strategy. New defensive measures leverage artificial intelligence to help decision-makers respond to potential threats at tactical speed, using data and predictive analytics and swarms of UAVs.

Directed energy and laser weapon systems are a proven solution that effectively addresses tech-driven threats with more accurate, flexible and affordable performance than offered by traditional ballistics. “They’re designed to be precise, to yield minimal collateral damage and, in essence, offer an endless magazine,” said Dr. Rob Afzal, Lockheed Martin senior fellow, Laser and Sensor Systems. “As long as you have power, you can shoot—that’s a critical capability when you have to take on a large number of low-cost distributed threats such as a swarm of drones, each carrying a small explosive.”