Matthew Nelson
Lockheed Martin has delivered to the U.S. Navy a high-energy laser weapon built for integration into an operational Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.
The High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance system is designed to produce high beam quality at various power rates because the laser weapon has a scalable laser design architecture that combines multiple kilowatt fiber lasers, the company said Monday.
HELIOS exceeded the Navy's 60-kilowatt requirement during a demonstration held by Lockheed and the service branch. The platform also cleared a factory qualification test and a critical design review process in 2020.
The Navy will conduct ship tests for HELIOS following its delivery in preparation for the platform's integration into a Flight IIA vessel within the year.
