The U.S. Army is now testing the second gen vehicle-mounted LOCUST laser weapon system from AeroVironment (AV) Inc. It is hoped the new LOCUST Laser Weapon System (LWS) will be able to be rapidly deployed where required to protect soldiers and assets in a wide range of missions and environments where drones swarm in the skies. AV says that this updated LWS builds upon a system that has already seen over three years of operational use outside the U.S.
Laser weapons have a reputation for being bulky and heavy, thus hard to reposition where they are required. Earlier in 2025, AV worked with the U.S. Army to integrate its new mobile C-UAS Laser Weapon Systems (LWS) with the General Motors Defense Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) platform. However, at the end of the year, it announced that LOCUST would be added to the Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) platform. As a reminder, the Oshkosh is the U.S. Military’s modern replacement for the Humvee.
LOCUST features
Of course, AV doesn’t spill the full specs of its LOCUST, but there are some interesting features shared on its product pages. In essence, this is a 20kW-class laser weapon, but it has been improved with “a larger aperture beam director, improving lethality performance” in this iteration.
The system is also highly adaptable and can be directed using a mix of automated and manual controls. On the automated side, it has multi-target IR search and track modes, advanced gimbaled electro-optical tracking, and an architecture open to a wide variety of sensors. Alternatively, it can be guided by an operator using “a common game controller.” We guess the operator would be assisted by some of the smart features like “fine tracking system (FTS), powerful telescope, laser rangefinder, acquisition tracking system (ATS), and targeting laser.”
Operationally deployed?
Earlier this week, we wrote about the 100kW Iron Beam laser, which Israel’s MoD claimed to be the first drone defense zapper to be operationally deployed. However, AV’s press release strongly suggests that earlier versions of the LOCUST have been battle-tested for the last three years.
John Garrity, Vice President of AV’s Directed Energy business unit, described the firm’s laser systems as “a proven force protection capability.” Moreover, he boasted that “Since deployed, LOCUST-equipped P-HEL systems have actively protected warfighters, allies, and critical infrastructure against aerial threats.”
Thus, these laser weapons and supporting technologies have been tuned from lessons learned in real-world combat. Having them available and mounted on JLTVs for increased mobility and rapid deployment, with the latest LOCUST refinements, will hopefully make them more useful than ever across a wide range of missions and environments.
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