The U.S. Navy’s High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance also known as HELIOS downed four drones during a counter-drone exercise at sea, a milestone highlighted by Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet during a quarterly earnings call last week.
Unlike earlier tests that targeted only a single drone, the exercise demonstrated the system’s ability to engage multiple threats simultaneously, the company confirmed.
“The HELIOS weapon system successfully neutralised four drone threats in a U.S. Navy-operated counter-UAS (uncrewed aerial systems) demonstration at sea, showcasing an opportunity to eliminate drone attacks using lasers, and saving U.S. and allied air defence missiles for more advanced threats,” Taiclet said.
Lockheed Martin said the exercise validated the system’s functionality, performance, and overall capability.
HELIOS, a 60-kilowatt directed-energy laser, is designed to neutralize drones and small boats. Lockheed Martin has previously indicated that the system could potentially be scaled up to 150 kilowatts.
Meet HELIOS, the Navy’s drone destroying laser weapon fired from the USS Preble destroyer. It obliterate targets – drones, fast-attack craft and missiles – by melting or overheating them. pic.twitter.com/vetK6m2a7b
— AlphaFox (@alphafox) June 12, 2025
The HELIOS laser has been installed on the bow of USS Preble since 2022, making it the only U.S. Navy ship currently equipped with the system.
The recent announcement comes as the Navy’s top officer pushes for directed-energy weapons to become the primary defense against close-range threats.
The USS Preble previously used HELIOS to successfully down at least one drone in a 2024 test, a milestone revealed in the Pentagon’s Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation annual report released in January 2025.
The US Navy released a new photo of USS Preble (DDG-88) firing her HELIOS laser weapon. pic.twitter.com/oL4rMsA4Xu
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 3, 2025
