US Navy tests containerised directed energy weapon

AV containerised its Locust X2 laser weapon system for maritime use during a test on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) in October 2025. (US Navy)

The US Navy borrowed a US Army Palletized-High Energy Laser (P-HEL) to test shooting down unmanned aerial systems (UAS) at sea in October 2025, according to a 20 April statement.

The P-HEL, a containerised version of AV's Locust HEL, was loaded onto the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) in October 2025 for live-fire testing, according to the caption of a navy photo published on 20 April. Of 17 UAS targets, the laser was able to hit all of them, AV executives told Janes on 8 April.

Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) has multiple P-HELs for testing, and AV then made about 10 “major” upgrades to marinise and containerise the system, John Garrity, AV vice-president of directed energy, said in an 8 April interview. Upgrades included changes to ruggedise electronic components, he said.

The live fire benefited the army in addition to the navy because “it also helped burn down risk for more … challenging environmental conditions that we haven't always tested our army systems to”, he said.

Of the 17 shots made by the AV laser, navy officers made 50% of the kills after approximately 30 minutes of training, said Garrity. The company was able to forklift the Locust onto the deck of the ship during a pause in flight operations and then move it back inside to restart operations, he said. “In future tests and ultimately deployments, we expect that system to be in place and used without having to impede any other ship activities.,” Garrity said.