Leonardo DRS and BlueHalo have completed a live-fire demonstration of a new counter-drone directed energy weapon system aboard a Stryker armored fighting vehicle for the US Army.
Held in Socorro, New Mexico, the evaluation saw the deployment of BlueHalo’s proprietary Locust 26-kilowatt laser capability against Group 1 to 3 unmanned aerial systems (1,320 pounds/599 kilograms and below).
The test comprised near-simultaneous and ground engagements through the combination of a 30-millimeter turret integrated with the Stryker vehicle.
The two-day demonstration ended with the mobile anti-drone setup neutralizing each “adversarial” system presented.
BlueHalo Corporate Executive VP Mary Clum highlighted that the benchmark accomplished in the trials will be beneficial to the US military’s frontlines “in support of the nation’s most critical missions.”
“BlueHalo’s LOCUST Laser Weapon System is operationally deployed, proven, and trusted. Its modularity and ease of integration across platforms makes it a great fit for the Stryker armored vehicle,” Clum stated.
“Our unique combination of operational know-how and innovation has enabled us to rapidly develop a critical capability that directly addresses the challenges our warfighters are facing daily in contested environments.”
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The roadmap to produce the prototype ran for less than a year, with Leonardo serving as the vehicle and mobile air defense integrator and BlueHalo as the anti-drone solution provider.
“In just eight months, Leonardo DRS and our outstanding industry partners designed, built, and tested this Stryker-based Directed Energy Counter-UAS prototype,” Leonardo DRS Land Systems SVP and General Manager Aaron Hankins explained.
“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.”
The Socorro test follows a $95.4-million contract received by BlueHalo in May 2024 to continue directed energy prototyping support for the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s Laser Technology Research Development and Optimization program.