Raytheon delivers first laser counter-UAS System to USAF

McKINNEY, Texas - Raytheon Company delivered the first high-energy laser counter-unmanned aerial system to the U.S. Air Force earlier this month. The system will be deployed overseas as part of a year-long Air Force experiment to train operators and test the system's effectiveness in real-world conditions.

Raytheon's high-energy laser weapon system uses an advanced variant of the company's Multi-spectral Targeting System, an electro-optical/infrared sensor, to detect, identify and track rogue drones. Once targeted, the system engages the threat, neutralizing the UAS in a matter of seconds.

Raytheon installed its high-energy laser weapon system on a small all-terrain vehicle. On a single charge from a standard 220-volt outlet, the HELWS can deliver intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability and dozens of precise laser shots. It can also be paired with a generator to provide a nearly infinite number of shots.