U.S. Army LOCUST X3 Laser Weapon Production Adds Leonardo DRS for Power and Cooling.

Leonardo DRS will supply power and thermal-management subsystems and integration expertise for AeroVironment’s production of LOCUST X3 laser weapons under the U.S. Army’s Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program. The subcontract supports a mobile, 30-kilowatt counter-drone capability as the Army moves toward wider use of directed energy to protect troops, military installations, and critical assets.

AeroVironment’s LOCUST X3 high-energy laser weapon system on display at AUSA 2026 in Washington, D.C. The system uses a focused laser beam to defeat hostile drones, providing an additional layer of defense alongside guns, missiles and electronic warfare systems. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Under the subcontract, DRS will contribute power management, environmental control, and vehicle-integration expertise. These supporting systems are essential to turning a laser weapon into a practical mobile capability: the host vehicle must supply sufficient electrical power, accommodate the equipment, and remove the heat generated during operation.

DRS announced its selection on November 2, 2026, after the U.S. Army awarded AV the E-HEL production contract in September. AV valued the agreement at $464.8 million and said it covers dozens of LOCUST X3 systems over several years, together with training and continuing support. The company identifies Group 1–3 unmanned aircraft, encompassing small drones through larger tactical unmanned aircraft, as the intended threat set.

Related Topic: U.S. Deploys LOCUST Laser Weapon Against Cartel-Linked Drones at Southern Border

LOCUST X3 is designed for installation on different military vehicles, including the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, and is also available in palletized configurations. The U.S. Army says E-HEL’s modular architecture supports deployment from fixed bases, semi-fixed tactical positions, and mobile combat vehicles, enabling it to support both installation defense and the protection of maneuver forces.

Countering Reconnaissance and Attack Drones

For U.S. forces, the immediate role of systems such as E-HEL is to add another engagement option against drones conducting surveillance, locating military positions, or delivering attacks. A drone does not need a large explosive payload to create a serious threat: reconnaissance aircraft can expose troop movements and help an adversary direct artillery or other weapons onto a target.

Laser weapons engage by concentrating energy on a target to damage components or structure. Their appeal includes a low marginal cost per engagement and the ability to keep operating as long as sufficient power and cooling remain available. This could help commanders preserve missile inventories for threats requiring longer-range interception or greater destructive effect.

U.S. employment has already extended beyond demonstrations. According to U.S. Northern Command, personnel used the Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser system to defeat three hostile unmanned aircraft along the southern border on August 25–26, 2026. The command said the aircraft posed a physical threat to military personnel and Customs and Border Protection partners. That operation involved AMP-HEL, a separate program from the E-HEL production effort supported by the DRS subcontract.

Potential missions for mobile counter-drone lasers include defending command posts, logistics hubs, airfields, and temporary operating positions. Vehicle-mounted systems could also accompany formations and provide protection during tactical halts. Mobility, however, does not by itself enable firing while moving; the DRS announcement does not describe that capability.

Future Missions Depend on Power, Tracking and Engagement Conditions

The broader U.S. directed-energy effort extends beyond small-drone defense. The U.S. Army development programs have investigated lasers for protection against rockets, artillery and mortars, while more powerful systems are being pursued for cruise-missile defense. These missions impose different demands on beam power, tracking precision and the time available to damage a target. They should not be treated as established capabilities of the 30-kilowatt E-HEL configuration.

Against repeated drone attacks, lasers could provide an additional defensive layer alongside electronic warfare, guns and missiles. Their contribution would depend on how quickly they detect, track and engage successive targets, rather than electrical power alone. A low cost per shot does not mean they can defeat every aircraft in a simultaneous attack.

Atmospheric conditions also matter. Fog, dust, smoke and other obscurants can reduce beam effectiveness, while terrain and structures can block the engagement path. The U.S. Army reporting has consequently described laser weapons as complementary to kinetic defenses.

DRS’ production role addresses part of that practical integration challenge. The company said it previously supplied vehicle integration, power, cooling and systems-engineering expertise for an armored-vehicle directed-energy effort used in government live-fire evaluations and training during 2024 and 2025.

The November 2026 announcement does not disclose the subcontract value, delivery quantities, or schedule. It also provides no figures for engagement range, sustained firing, or cooling recovery, leaving those performance measures unresolved as the U.S. Army builds its production counter-drone laser capability.

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Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.