nLight to develop laser weapon for cruise missile defense

nLight, the high-energy laser producer based in Camas, Washington, has won a contract from the US military to develop a laser weapon that it is hoped could be used for cruise missile defense.

The initial award of $44 million through the Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement could rise to a maximum of $627 million - if all follow-on development, integration, and potential production options are taken up.

nLight’s Nasdaq-listed stock price jumped in value by around 25 per cent on news of the contract award, moving the firm’s market capitalization north of $4 billion and close to an all-time high.

Transitioning directed energy

The JLWS program aims to transition directed energy capabilities from demonstration prototypes into field-ready, production-oriented platforms.

nLight has been working on the technology for several years, largely under programs funded by the US Department of Defense, and is also involved in Israel’s “Iron Beam” air defense system.

Laser weapons have some critical advantages over traditional kinetic systems relying on projectiles, including instantaneous engagement, essentially unlimited “ammunition” in the form of photons, and a much lower cost per interception when it comes to countering high-volume drone swarms.

“To address urgent operational demands, initial JLWS prototypes will be rated at approximately 150 kW,” announced nLight. “Subsequent iterations will be scaled to reach the 300–500 kW threshold required for robust cruise missile defense.”

Long-time company CEO Scott Keeney added: “This award reflects the Department of War’s increasing focus on transitioning directed energy from prototype to deployed capability at scale and aligns directly with our strategy to move beyond demonstration programs and into production-oriented platforms that can be fielded across land and maritime environments.

“nLight’s vertically integrated laser architecture, state-of-the-art beam‑combination, precision tracking expertise, and production-ready high-energy laser solutions position us to deliver reliable, scalable performance in support of next-generation air and missile defense missions.”

German Navy to get MBDA, Rheinmetall laser

Meanwhile in Europe, Germany’s Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr (BAAINBw) has commissioned the domestic divisions of arms firms MBDA Systems and Rheinmetall to develop a high-energy laser weapon system for the German Navy.

The selection follows earlier trials of the pair’s laser system under a project that was initiated in 2019. Earlier this year the pair agreed to establish a new joint venture company specializing in laser weapons, to formalize their long-standing collaboration.

“The laser weapon system will be operational in 2029,” MBDA announced. “The contract covers the development of a complete system for maritime applications and will encompass the entire chain of operations, from reconnaissance and target tracking to engagement.”

The two firms also said that particular emphasis would be placed on German supply chains and domestic systems expertise, in order to safeguard national sovereignty in what is now widely expected to become a key defense technology.

MBDA and Rheinmetall claim that their system’s advanced beam quality and tracking capability enable laser power to be focused with extreme precision, including on moving targets, and onto an area measuring just a few centimeters.

Roman Koehne, the head of Rheinmetall's weapon and ammunition division, said: “The laser weapon system will provide our personnel deployed on naval vessels with a significantly higher level of protection, particularly when it comes to countering drones.

“Series production will largely take place in Germany, creating new training opportunities and jobs. We are delighted by the confidence shown in us through this contract.”