Australia’s EOS to Deliver 100kW Laser Weapon for Counter-Drone Use to EU NATO Member.

On August 5, 2025, APDR reported that Electro Optic Systems (EOS) had secured a strategic order for a counter-drone capability based on high-power laser technology. The contract represents a global first: it is the world’s first export order for a 100-kilowatt-class laser defence system. This development comes amid the growing tactical and operational relevance of drone swarms for numerous NATO member states and beyond.
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EOS’ High Energy Laser (HEL) system is designed to neutralise Group 1 to 3 drones, particularly in the context of coordinated swarm attacks (Picture source: EOS )

The client is a European member state of NATO, though its identity has not been disclosed. The contract, valued at €71.4 million (approximately A$125 million), includes production and delivery of the system, along with spare parts, training, and associated documentation. The order will be executed between 2025 and 2028 by EOS in Singapore, which will serve as the production hub for this new capability.

EOS’ High Energy Laser (HEL) system is designed to neutralise Group 1 to 3 drones, particularly in the context of coordinated swarm attacks. With a power rating of 100 kilowatts and continuous-fire capability, the system can disable more than twenty drones per minute, even when they employ countermeasures such as rapid manoeuvres, thermal shielding, or reflective coatings. By also targeting coordination platforms located beyond 10 kilometres, the HEL aims to disrupt the transmission of targeting data within swarms, thereby reducing their operational effectiveness.

Housed in a 20-foot ISO container, the system can be deployed in under two hours by trained crews. It integrates with NATO command-and-control networks and theatre-level integrated air defence systems, ensuring compatibility with existing force structures. When powered externally, the HEL can operate continuously, while its internal magazine enables over 200 drone kills without resupply. These attributes make it a mobile, modular solution tailored to the growing need for defence against asymmetric aerial threats.

EOS, already active in the counter-drone sector using kinetic systems and missiles, is now expanding into directed-energy solutions. The new system is based on a high-power laser designed to counter drone attacks in a more cost-effective manner, while remaining compatible with existing defence infrastructures.

The development of the system involved three years of field testing and live-fire trials conducted in close cooperation with several clients. The goal was to optimise system accuracy, reliability, and performance. In addition to the laser, the system incorporates advanced algorithms, integrated radar, threat detection modules, target acquisition systems, and a beam-locking mechanism.

The order follows an extended phase of commercial outreach and demonstrations conducted by EOS across several international markets. It reflects a rising interest in directed-energy weapons, particularly considering the increasing prevalence of asymmetric threats and drone swarms in contemporary conflicts.

This acquisition by a NATO member state highlights a gradual shift toward more flexible and cost-efficient defensive technologies designed to counter the evolving threat posed by unmanned aerial systems. With this contract, EOS expands its role beyond kinetic solutions and enters the directed-energy weapons sector as an operational supplier.