Pentagon to Purchase Locust Laser System to Destroy Drones

The US Army will purchase dozens of Locust systems from AeroVironment. This is the Pentagon's first production contract for a directed-energy anti-drone system that has moved beyond the prototype phase, Bloomberg reported.

The Locust system uses artificial intelligence to track, identify and assist human operators in destroying small- to medium-sized drones using a high-energy laser.

The contract, reported being worth at least $400m, is a sign that the Pentagon is seeking more affordable and sustainable ways to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles. Another factor is the strain that the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran are placing on US stocks of expensive and hard-to-replace fighter jets.

A promotional video released by the company shows the system using a laser to create a bright flame on the drones before they disintegrate or fall from the sky. The footage shows operators monitoring video feeds and data, with one of them using a controller resembling a video game controller.

In addition to anti-drone systems, the Pentagon is also seeking to deploy more attack drones. Last year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the department to strive for "drone dominance" by accelerating and expanding the production of US military drones.

Earlier this year, the Locust system became the center of a controversy during testing near the border with Mexico, when it unintentionally targeted and shot down a drone operated by US Customs and Border Protection agents.

(max)