US Army awards $465M contract for high-energy laser production

The U.S. Army has awarded AeroVironment a $464.8 million production contract for the Enduring-High Energy Laser program, marking a shift from development to production of directed-energy weapons. This indicates maturation of laser technology for military use, potentially altering future air-defense and counter-drone capabilities. The scale of the contract suggests significant investment in directed-energy systems, though operational deployment timelines remain unclear.