Navy leaders say directed energy weapons are expected to become the primary choice for close-range ship defense despite ongoing technical hurdles.
The US Navy has revealed new details about a laser weapon test conducted last fall, highlighting steady progress in ship-based directed-energy defenses.
During a demonstration in 2025, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Preble used its High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance system to shoot down four drones at sea.
Lockheed Martin disclosed the event recently as senior Navy leaders renewed calls to make laser weapons a frontline defense against short-range threats.
Laser system downs multiple drones at sea
The US defense company confirmed that USS Preble successfully neutralized four uncrewed aerial vehicles during a Navy-operated counter-drone exercise last year. The test marked a significant step beyond earlier trials, which had only involved single targets. The company’s CEO Jim Taiclet described the event during a quarterly earnings call.
“Speaking of amazing technology, we successfully used a shipboard laser system, Lockheed Martin’s HELIOS, to knock an incoming UAV right out of the sky,” Taiclet stated.
“The HELIOS weapon system successfully neutralized four drone threats in a U.S. Navy-operated counter-UAS demonstration at sea, showcasing an opportunity to eliminate drone attacks using lasers, and saving U.S. and allied air defense missiles for more advanced threats.”
The Navy has not released full technical details about the engagement, including target profiles or engagement timelines. However, the ability to handle multiple threats in one scenario reflects lessons learned from recent naval operations where large numbers of drones have strained traditional air defense systems.
HELIOS design and current fleet integration
HELIOS, also known as Mk 5 Mod 0, is a 60-kilowatt-class laser designed to destroy or damage drones and small surface threats.
It also includes an optical dazzler that can disrupt or blind enemy sensors. Lockheed Martin has previously said the system could be scaled up to 150 kilowatts.
USS Preble has been equipped with HELIOS since 2022 and remains the only Navy ship carrying the weapon. Other Arleigh Burke-class destroyers have received the lower-powered ODIN laser, which is intended mainly for sensor disruption.
Preble had already demonstrated the ability to down a single drone in a 2024 test, disclosed in a Pentagon operational testing report released in January 2025.
Why the Navy wants lasers for close defense
Laser weapons offer a key advantage over missiles and guns because they do not rely on physical ammunition. As long as the ship has sufficient power and cooling, the weapon can keep firing. This is critical in areas where resupply is difficult or impossible.
Cost is another major factor. A single RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile costs roughly $1 million. In contrast, a laser shot costs only the electricity required to generate it. Conventional gun systems such as the Mk 15 Phalanx also have limits. Each system can fire for only about 30 seconds before running out of ammunition at its lower firing rate.
These limitations have become more visible as drone swarms grow more advanced and coordinated, often appearing alongside cruise missiles and other threats.
Technical limits and future Navy ambitions
Despite the promise, laser weapons face real challenges. A laser can only engage one target at a time, and its effectiveness drops with distance as the beam spreads through the atmosphere. Weather, smoke, and dust further reduce performance. Shipboard lasers also must withstand saltwater exposure, rough seas, and demanding cooling requirements.
Even so, Navy leaders remain committed. Vice Adm. Brendan McLane, head of Naval Surface Forces, emphasized continued development during a January symposium.
“The dream of a laser on every ship can become a real one,” McLane highlighted.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle has gone further, pointing to future ships designed with powerful energy weapons in mind.
“Point defense needs to shift to directed energy. It has an infinite magazine,” Caudle added.
For now, USS Preble remains the Navy’s primary testbed. Its recent drone shootdown suggests that, despite lingering hurdles, shipboard lasers are moving closer to operational reality.