U.S. Army destroys three drones with 20-kilowatt laser

The U.S. Army fired a 20‑kilowatt laser from a mobile platform at a training site near Fort Bragg on June 14, destroying three hostile drones in a live‑fire test. The laser, part of the Army’s Laser Weapon System (LWS) program, tracked and intercepted each target within seconds, demonstrating the system’s capability to engage low‑flying aircraft at ranges up to 2,000 meters.

The test comes amid a growing drone threat to U.S. forces overseas, where unmanned aircraft are used for surveillance, target acquisition and even attack missions. Traditional air‑defense solutions—missiles, gun systems and electronic jamming—can be costly, slow to deploy and limited in saturation scenarios. Directed‑energy weapons like the LWS offer a rapid, low‑cost kill option that can be re‑used many times, making them attractive for protecting troops and equipment in contested environments.

Army officials said the 20‑kilowatt laser can track multiple drones simultaneously, a key feature for counter‑swarms. Analysts note that the system’s ability to engage fast‑moving targets at low altitude fills a gap in the Army’s current air‑defense portfolio. The LWS is expected