Brent M. Eastwood
The war in Ukraine has proven the urgent need for advanced air defense, and top U.S. Army officials say now is the time to field battlefield lasers. With drones and missiles dominating modern combat, traditional interceptors are insufficient. U.S. Army Spc. Harry Santiago IV, assigned to the Multi-Functional Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), launches a Skydio X2D drone on Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, July 09, 2025. V Corps provides essential support to multinational training and exercises of robust and evolving complexity, scope, scale, rigor, and operational conditions and provides targeted security force assistance alongside national and multinational corps and divisions. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Breanna Bradford)
-Directed energy weapons offer a “non-kinetic” solution with a virtually unlimited supply of firepower. -While challenges with heat and weight remain for mobile platforms, the Army believes the technology is “pretty mature” and is pushing programs to get 20- to 300-kilowatt laser systems onto its vehicles to counter the growing threat of drone swarms.
Now Is the Time for Lasers On the Battlefield for the U.S. Army
The U.S. Army’s Air Defense Artillery is always in demand. Commanding officers want a protective shield over their troops at all times, and soldiers who work in air defense are usually busy, whether during training exercises or real engagements with an enemy. The war in Ukraine has shown the importance of drones and missiles. Whichever side in a conflict can figure out how to keep munitions from falling on friendly troops and armored vehicles is far likelier to win on the battlefield.
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