AeroVironment Wins $465M U.S. Army Laser Defense Contract

CounterUASWorld Summary

AeroVironment (AV) secured a $464.8 million U.S. Army contract for its LOCUST® X3 high-energy laser system under the Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program. The award marks the first production contract for laser weapon systems in U.S. history. AV will deliver dozens of systems to counter drones, supporting the Army’s layered air defense strategy and accelerating the deployment of scalable directed-energy capabilities.