The destroyer USS Preble used its high-energy laser with the Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system to take down four drones in a demonstration last year, revealed Lockheed Martin.
The information was confirmed by Jim Taiclet, CEO of Lockheed Martin, during a meeting last week, according to a report from The War Zone.
“We successfully used an onboard laser system, HELIOS from Lockheed Martin, to take down a UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] coming from the sky,” Taiclet said during the call.
“The HELIOS weapon system successfully neutralized four drone threats in a counter-UAS [unmanned aerial systems] demonstration operated by the U.S. Navy at sea, showing an opportunity to eliminate drone attacks using lasers while saving U.S. and allied air defense missiles for more advanced threats.”
In January, Brendan McLane, Vice Admiral of the U.S. Navy, participated in the Surface Navy Association (SNA) symposium and spoke about the tests with the HELIOS laser system.
“Last fall, successful tests at sea paved the way for future laser weapon systems. We need to continue down this path. I am committed to advancing laser technology for the fleet. The dream of a laser on every ship could come true.”
The HELIOS, also known as Mk 5 Mod 0, is a 60-kilowatt directed-energy laser weapon designed to be powerful enough to destroy or at least damage certain targets, such as drones or small boats.
It also has a secondary function to blind optical sensors and seekers, which may also be damaged or destroyed in the process. In the past, Lockheed Martin has discussed potentially increasing the power rating of the HELIOS to up to 150 kilowatts.
The HELIOS has been integrated into the USS Preble since 2022. Currently, it is the only ship in the Navy equipped with the system, although other destroyers of the Arleigh Burke class have received lower-powered Optical Dazzling Interdictor (ODIN) laser systems.
Photos: US Military / Lockheed Martin. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
