The U.S. Navy has confirmed that the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Preble successfully test-fired its High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system, neutralizing an aerial drone target during a weapons exercise in 2024.
The test was detailed in the Pentagon’s annual Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) report released in January.
It is unclear where the ship was stationed when the test was conducted. In September 2024, the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service reported that the USS Preble shifted its homeport from San Diego, California, to Yokosuka, Japan.
The report included a photo of the USS Preble firing the laser, capturing a visible streak of light targeting the drone. No further details were provided regarding the department’s test and evaluation results.
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
HELIOS, a 60-kilowatt laser system developed by Lockheed Martin and delivered to the Navy in August 2022, is designed to provide both offensive and defensive capabilities, including the ability to dazzle or disable sensors on unmanned aerial systems.
Its integration into the Navy’s arsenal reflects broader efforts under the Directed Energy and Electric Weapon System program, aimed at advancing laser technology for maritime defense.
The successful test comes as Navy warships continue to face an escalating number of drone and missile threats, particularly from Iran-backed Houthi rebels operating in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Vice Adm. Brendan McLane, Commander of Naval Surface Forces, emphasized the importance of fielding such technologies, citing past efforts like the laser-equipped USS Ponce a decade ago. “We’re 10 years down the road, and we still don’t have something we can field?” McLane remarked in early 2024.
While the Navy has made progress with HELIOS, other directed-energy programs have faced setbacks.
The Solid State Laser – Technology Maturation project, for instance, concluded without a funding request for fiscal year 2025, though some of its technologies have been transferred to the High Energy Laser Counter Anti-Ship Cruise Missile Project (HELCAP). HELCAP aims to deliver a more powerful, 300-kilowatt-class laser system to counter advanced threats like anti-ship cruise missiles.
Further testing of the HELIOS system and other laser weapons is expected to continue throughout 2025.
