Under the Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) program, the defense prime will build a containerized, 500-kilowatt (kW) class directed-energy prototype. The initiative is part of a broader Pentagon effort to field cost-effective, speed-of-light intercept solutions capable of bolstering layered homeland defense against advanced state and non-state threats.
The initial Joint Laser Weapon System agreements, executed through the Scaled Directed Energy (SCADE) program, carry an initial award value of $86 million with a cumulative program ceiling of $847 million. Lockheed Martin is collaborating with nLIGHT Defense on the project, which utilizes Other Transaction Authority (OTA) frameworks to bypass traditional, prolonged acquisition pathways for rapid operational prototyping.
"We are honored to field this operational‑tactical prototype — the highest‑power laser ever packaged in a transportable container," Paul Lemmo, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Sensors, Effectors, and Mission Systems, said in a statement. "By applying our expertise in lowering size, weight, and power along with rugged‑system design, we can rapidly build containerized laser weapons in the near term."
The Pentagon plans to deploy initial JLWS prototypes rated at 150 kW to meet urgent operational demands before scaling subsequent iterations to the 300 kW and 500 kW thresholds. A 500 kW output is widely regarded by defense analysts as the technical benchmark required to defeat the hardened casings of fast-moving cruise missiles, which execute evasive low-altitude maneuvers.
Compared to traditional kinetic air defenses, which rely on expensive short-range missiles with limited magazine capacities, high-energy lasers offer virtually unlimited magazines and a significantly lower cost-per-intercept.
The standalone 500 kW integrated system is anticipated to complement the United States' evolving "Golden Dome" strategic missile defense initiative, providing combatant commanders with highly mobile, multi-domain defense capabilities.