Ship-based high-energy laser weapon with AI fire control for autonomous drone intercept, small boat disablement, and ISR enhancement via dazzler mode.
HELIOS uses a beam director developed by Lockheed Martin that compensates for atmospheric turbulence and ship motion in real-time, maintaining focus on fast-moving targets despite the vessel's own movement through the water. The system's dual-mode capability allows it to operate as both a lethal weapon and an intelligence sensor, with the surveillance mode able to identify small surface targets at ranges where conventional optics cannot resolve details. The USS Preble deployment made USS Preble the US Navy's first warship to carry an operational directed-energy weapon as a standard component of its combat system.
Installed on USS Preble (DDG-88) 2022; at-sea testing in operational environment; first Navy fleet laser weapon
Lockheed Martin (LMT) is the primary publicly traded beneficiary of HELIOS development and production. The Navy's directed energy weapon integration represents a long-term revenue stream as laser systems are installed on additional surface combatants.