The Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of War successfully tested a high-energy laser counter-drone system that demonstrated it can be used without harming civilian aircraft.
AeroVironment announced on Wednesday that its LOCUST laser was used in the previously announced test event in early March at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. During the test, the LOCUST laser demonstrated the ability to hit both stationary and airborne targets, it showed its automated safety shutoff capabilities if the pre-fire checklist is not met, and it also showed “no adverse impact to civilian aircraft during controlled evaluation scenarios,” AV said in a press release.
Recommended Stories
“This is a defining moment for directed energy and for the future of homeland defense,” said John Garrity, vice president for Directed Energy Systems at AV. “LOCUST has now proven its ability to operate safely and effectively in the most complex airspace environment in the world.”
On April 10, the FAA announced it, alongside the Pentagon, had completed a safety assessment of the laser system and validated that it does not pose any additional risk to passenger aircraft.
“The future of point defense is here,” Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies Mike Dodd said. “With FAA & Pentagon approval, AV’s LOCUST Laser is ready to protect our critical infrastructure. This high-precision, low-cost kinetic alternative is a game-changer for national security. Proud to see U.S. tech leading the way.”
There is an ongoing whole-of-government effort working to boost America’s counter-drone technology and strategy. The Pentagon, FAA, Department of Homeland Security, as well as state and local officers are involved in the effort, which is being led by Joint Interagency Task Force 401.
There are a variety of counter-drone technologies and systems, which are better or worse suited to different scenarios, especially as it relates to domestic usage. Should law enforcement or the military try to shoot down a drone, there are risks involved with possibly missing the target or falling debris hurting people below. There are also concerns about civilian aircraft getting caught in the crosshairs.
That’s why high-energy lasers could be a critical part of America’s developing counter-drone technology.
AV’s laser system doesn’t operate alone. It’s interconnected through higher-level command and control (C2) systems that collect information from nearby aircraft transponders, radar data, and other sensors to provide an Integrated Air Picture.
There’s also an automated checklist the system undergoes after it’s triggered but before it fires the beam.
When the system is engaged, the beam itself is invisible, and it travels at the speed of light. The entire beam is not the same strength, rather there is one point in the center of the beam, such as an hourglass on its side, called the focus point, and that’s what’s targeted.
It is also small enough to be mounted onto vehicles and made mobile.
“This successful test showcases the significant advancements we’re making in counter-drone technology to ensure that our warfighters have the most advanced tools to defend the homeland,” General Matt Ross, director of JIATF-401, said in a recent press release.
It’s also the same system Customs and Border Protection used to shoot down what was thought to be an alleged cartel drone (later found to be a balloon), shutting down the airspace around El Paso for hours.
AV’s LOCUST was also placed on the USS George H.W. Washington for one day in October 2025 for a live-fire exercise and the system destroyed every single target, finishing with a “100 percent success” rate, the company announced last month.
GULF COUNTRIES SEEK TO WEAN THEMSELVES OFF STRAIT OF HORMUZ
Earlier this week, JIATF-401 announced the five installations — Fort Huachuca, Arizona; and Fort Bliss, Texas, as well as Naval Base Kitsap, Washington; Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri — would participate in the directed-energy counter-drone pilot program.
