AeroVironment (AV) has secured its first international order for the LOCUST laser weapon system from an undisclosed customer in a deal valued at more than $50 million.
The deal covers an initial delivery of an unspecified number of LOCUST systems and associated support and comes shortly after the US Army awarded AV a $464.8-million contract for dozens of LOCUST X3 systems, marking the service’s first production contract for a high-energy laser weapon system.
To meet growing demand, the company is expanding its manufacturing operations in Albuquerque, New Mexico — adding more than 450 jobs and generating over $670 million in economic impact, according to AV.
Company President, Chairman, and CEO Wahid Nawabi described the first LOCUST international deal as representing the “increasing global recognition that high‑energy laser weapon systems are essential to modern air defense.”
“The threat from low-cost drones is global and has fundamentally changed the economics of warfare. LOCUST gives our customers an affordable, scalable way to defeat drone threats at scale without relying solely on expensive interceptors.”
LOCUST Laser
LOCUST is a high-energy laser weapon designed to engage aerial threats, including Group 1 to 3 drones, and serves as a core part of AV’s Halo Shield modular layered counter-drone system.
The system uses sensor-agnostic architecture that can integrate with different sensors and radio-frequency bands, while its infrared search and track modes enable automated tracking and rapid switching between multiple targets in dense threat environments.
It is designed for deployment on both fixed and mobile platforms and has demonstrated its ability to be mounted aboard the US Army’s Infantry Squad Vehicles and Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, as well as the US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.
In March, the laser weapon underwent a counter-drone test with the Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration, showing automated safety shut-off capabilities and engagement of fixed and airborne targets.
