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Army Awards AeroVironment $464.8 Million Contract to Bring High-Energy Laser to Production
The Army awarded AeroVironment a $464.8 million contract in September under Other Transaction Authority, transitioning...
The Army awarded AeroVironment a $464.8 million contract in September under Other Transaction Authority, transitioning the Enduring High Energy Laser program, known as E-HEL, from prototype to production, according to Washington Technology.
DefenseScoop reported, however, that AeroVironment expects to deliver "well into the dozens" of its LOCUST X3 systems to the Army over the life of the contract. The 30-kilowatt units can be integrated into various military platforms, such as the Army's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. DefenseScoop added that officials envision integrating the technology with the Infantry Squad Vehicle or in palletized setups as well.
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Leonardo DRS has joined the program as a subcontractor, tapped by AeroVironment to provide what DefenseScoop described as "rugged integration expertise." Washington Technology reported that Leonardo DRS will handle the system's power management and environmental control. The value of the subcontract was not disclosed, according to Washington Technology.
"The Army's move to production reflects the growing importance of scalable, fieldable directed-energy capabilities in countering evolving UAS threats," Leonardo DRS president and CEO John Baylouny said, according to Washington Technology.
Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment's chairman, president and CEO, said in a release that "the transition of directed energy from experimentation to an enduring, fielded capability reflects years of collaboration, innovation, and operational success alongside the U.S. Army," Washington Technology reported.
DefenseScoop also reported that the Pentagon chose AeroVironment's Palletized High-Energy Laser system as one of the platforms participating in a Joint Interagency Task Force 401 pilot program. Later this year, the task force intends to stage a directed-energy shoot-off to evaluate these counter-drone systems.
This article was prepared with the help of AI tools and checked against the sources listed here.
Illustration created with AI for this article.
Sources: Washington Technology: https://www.washingtontechnology.com/contracts/2026/11/leonardo-drs-lands-role-armys-first-high-energy-laser-production-deal/417003/; DefenseScoop: https://defensescoop.com/2026/11/02/army-high-energy-laser-program-leonardo-drs-av/
