Army Laser Weapon Moves Into Production
Leonardo DRS joins AeroVironment's LOCUST X3 program, with delivery timing and system counts still undisclosed.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Robotics
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Leonardo DRS has joined AeroVironment as a subcontractor on the U.S. Army's Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program. The Army awarded AeroVironment the E-HEL production contract valued at $464.8 million in September 2026; neither company disclosed the subcontract's value, quantity of systems, or delivery timing. This is a shipped production contract, but the laser systems' fielding timeline is not yet public.
Why it matters
The Army described E-HEL as its first production contract for a high-energy laser weapon, marking a move from prototypes toward fielded directed-energy air defense against small drones. Leonardo DRS's role in supplying power, cooling, and vehicle integration reflects how much of a laser weapon's viability depends on the support hardware around the beam itself.
The LOCUST X3 is a 30-kilowatt laser designed to shoot down small drones, and AeroVironment says each shot costs less than $10. Prior rapid prototyping tests in 2024 and 2025 used earlier AMP-HEL prototype versions rated at 20 kilowatts, but the measured performance of production units has not been disclosed.
The players
AeroVironment
A U.S. drone and directed-energy company whose LOCUST laser family is now a production Army weapon, following its 2025 acquisition of BlueHalo.
Leonardo DRS
A defense electronics and systems company supplying power, cooling, and vehicle integration hardware for the Army's laser weapon.
U.S. Army
The service that awarded the $464.8 million E-HEL production contract, its first for a high-energy laser weapon.
The details
A laser weapon needs a large, steady supply of electricity to fire, and much of that energy turns into heat that must be carried away so the system can keep shooting. Leonardo DRS is supplying the power, cooling, and vehicle-integration hardware that handles both problems for the LOCUST X3, which AeroVironment acquired when it bought BlueHalo in 2025. Leonardo DRS previously provided vehicle integration, power, cooling, and systems engineering for live-fire tests with AeroVironment in 2024 and 2025.
Timeline
September 2026: The Army awarded AeroVironment the E-HEL contract.
2024 and 2025: Leonardo DRS supported rapid prototyping and live-fire tests with AeroVironment.
2025: AeroVironment acquired BlueHalo, including the LOCUST family.
November 2, 2026: DRS announced its subcontract role on E-HEL.
The Tech Race
The E-HEL award positions AeroVironment's LOCUST family as the Army's first production high-energy laser, following the rapid prototyping and live-fire testing of earlier AMP-HEL versions. It places the program ahead of competing directed-energy efforts in the U.S. defense sector, though the stub does not name specific rival programs.
The LOCUST X3 is designed for defense against small drones, so the near-term effect is on Army air defense rather than civilian use. The timing of fielded systems has not been disclosed, and no delivery schedule has been published.
The takeaway
Watch for the Army or AeroVironment to disclose the number of E-HEL systems and first delivery dates, which will show how quickly the laser moves from contract to fielding. Any published test results for the 30-kilowatt LOCUST X3 would also confirm or challenge the claimed sub-$10 cost per shot.
Further reading
Explore more Robotics coverage for context on how autonomous and directed-energy systems are developing.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Defence Blog.
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