Coherent’s aerospace and defense division has won a $30 million contract to develop high-power lasers for the US Navy.
According to a June 10 contracts round-up announced by the Department of Defense, the Murrieta, California, unit is being funded under the “SONGBOW” effort, which is also known as the “Pulsed Fiber Lasers and Directed Energy Subsystems with High Bandwidth Wavefront Control” project.
“This contract provides for the development of pulsed fiber lasers for remote sensing and illumination and to further the development of a 400 kilowatt directed-energy subsystem by integrating a 50 kilowatt laser with a beam-control assembly,” DoD announced.
“Work will be performed in Murrieta, California, and is expected to be completed in January 2027.”
The brief announcement explains that the funding will be provided via the US Office for Naval Research, having been competitively procured under a "Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Navy and Marine Corps Science and Technology" initiated in October 2024.
Rafael claims combat interceptions
News of Coherent’s contract comes a couple of weeks after Israeli defense firm Rafael claimed a world-first with the successful interception of “scores of enemy threats” with its own high-power laser system.
The laser systems deployed by Rafael are said to be part of a wider portfolio of directed energy weapon systems developed in collaboration with the Israeli Ministry of Defense, and intended to complement the more powerful “Iron Beam” air defense system, which uses adaptive optics and is expected to become operational later this year.
Israel’s military said that it had deployed several high-power laser system prototypes during the current war, gaining substantial experience in optimizing and operating the technology in the field.
The knowledge acquired is now being integrated into the systems under development, while expanding the range of laser-based systems available.
Rafael’s chairman, Yuval Steinitz, said of the development: “Israel is the first country in the world to transform high-power laser technology into a fully operational system - and to execute actual combat interceptions.
“We are extremely proud of Rafael’s achievement in leading this operational and technological breakthrough. Based on its unique development of adaptive optics, Rafael’s Iron Beam system will undoubtedly be a game-changer with an unprecedented impact on the modern battlefield.”
Rafael said previously that it would present Iron Beam alongside its full range of high-energy laser weapon systems at the Paris Air Show, which takes place next week.
Rafael corporate video showing laser interception of drone threat:
