The Pentagon plans to develop light-speed air defense laser weapons to counter the threat of drone swarms

[Pentagon Plans to Develop Light-Speed Air Defense Laser Weapon]

The U.S. Department of Defense announced on Thursday that it has awarded two contracts for the development of the "Joint Laser Weapon System" (JLWS), a system capable of intercepting drones and cruise missiles at the speed of light.

According to the released information, these two contracts were signed with nLIGHT Defense and Lockheed Martin ArcLight, with an initial value of $86 million (approximately 586 million RMB). If the project is fully completed, the total amount could reach up to $847 million (approximately 5.77 billion RMB).

These systems can be integrated onto ground and maritime platforms, enabling rapid deployment across various combat scenarios. The U.S. Department of Defense emphasized that compared to traditional systems, laser weapons offer key advantages: light-speed engagement, nearly unlimited magazine capacity, and significantly reduced cost per interception—features that are critical for countering drone swarms or large-scale cruise missile attacks.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870302708279296/

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