US Army Advances E-HEL Program to Transform Vehicles into Drone Defense Systems
- Published
- Source
- InterestingEngineering.com
The US Army is progressing with its Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program, aimed at developing high-energy laser weapons to combat drone threats on the battlefield. This initiative focuses on creating modular systems that can be easily transferred between various military vehicles, enhancing air defense capabilities beyond specialized units.
The significance of the E-HEL program lies in its potential to provide a cost-effective alternative to traditional kinetic weapons, such as missiles, by utilizing directed-energy technology. The system generates a lethal laser beam powered by electricity, offering a low cost-per-shot against unmanned aircraft systems while ensuring operational flexibility across the Army's vehicle fleet.
Looking ahead, the Army plans to integrate laser weapons onto multiple vehicle types, including tactical and light utility platforms. This modular approach not only simplifies maintenance and operational adjustments but also empowers units outside traditional air defense formations to engage drone threats effectively. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Original report
US Army’s new laser weapon plan aims to turn ordinary vehicles into drone killers
InterestingEngineering.com · Prabhat Ranjan MishraThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
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