US Army awards AeroVironment $400 million deal for counter-drone laser systems

The U.S. Army has allocated at least $400 million for counter-drone laser weapons, awarding a contract to Arlington, Virginia-based AeroVironment, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. Under the agreement, the service will receive dozens of the company's Locust laser systems. The contract is the first production deal for a counter-drone directed-energy system awarded by the U.S. Department of Defense after the prototype stage, according to Bloomberg. The agency reported that the move reflects the military's search for new methods to counter the growing use of unmanned aerial vehicles on modern battlefields, with directed-energy weapons viewed as a response to that demand. The award adds to the Pentagon's production-oriented investments in defense technology, Bloomberg said. No additional details on delivery timelines or deployment plans were immediately available.