The U.S. Navy has tested AeroVironment’s LOCUST laser weapon system aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) during a live-fire event in the Atlantic Ocean. According to the company, its palletized LOCUST Laser Weapon System was demonstrated aboard the carrier in cooperation with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. During the test, the system detected, tracked, engaged and neutralized multiple unmanned aerial vehicles.
That makes LOCUST part of the growing category of anti-drone directed-energy systems being developed for military use. The test focused on countering aerial drone threats from a large naval platform rather than on a land-based installation. Imagery released by the Navy through DVIDS shows the LOCUST system positioned on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class carrier. In the accompanying captions, the Navy describes it as a containerized laser weapon system used during a live-fire exercise against multiple UAVs. The service presents the trial as part of its broader work on operational directed-energy capabilities.
One of the main points of interest is the way the system is deployed. AeroVironment describes LOCUST as a roll-on/roll-off palletized system, designed to be placed on ships without major structural modifications. The company also says the system can recharge its batteries onboard or operate directly from ship power. The public information released around the test remains limited in technical detail. AeroVironment did not specify the exact power level of the version used aboard the USS George H.W. Bush. The emphasis in the announcement is instead on the operational result of the trial and on the flexibility of the platform.
