The US Army is testing a $10 million laser weapon system fitted on its Stryker combat vehicle, which can destroy a drone for just $3 beam. Leonardo DRS and BlueHalo announced the successful live-fire demonstration of a new Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) Directed Energy (DE) Stryker designed to defeat Group 1-3 UAS with multiple kinetic and non-kinetic defeat technologies. During last month’s demonstration for US Army officials in Socorro, the mobile C-UAS capability successfully destroyed numerous drones using BlueHalo’s 26kW Locust Laser Weapon System. Leonardo DRS has deep experience in developing, integrating, and fielding mobile air defense and C-UAS solutions for the US Army. The demonstration is the latest step in a process that started with the company identifying the need for a directed energy multi-layered mobile C-UAS system built around best-of-breed technologies from strong partners. “In just eight months, Leonardo DRS and our outstanding industry partners designed, built, and tested this Stryker-based Directed Energy Counter-UAS prototype. We were able to move quickly by leveraging DRS’s proven experience building a cohesive team of partners to rapidly deliver air defense capabilities to the Army,” said Aaron Hankins, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Leonardo DRS Land Systems. “Our C-UAS Directed Energy Stryker is a future capability available to warfighters today, and we’re excited to display it during the 2024 AUSA Annual meeting.” The Stryker includes two primary kinetic effectors – EOS Defense Systems’ USA R400 30mm RWS with Northrop Grumman’s XM914 cannon and BAE Systems’ 2.75” Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System fired from an Arnold Defense launcher.

Full report : The C-UAS DE Stryker successfully destroyed every drone over the two-day demonstration using BlueHalo’s 26kW Locust Laser Weapon System.