US Navy Starts Building 400kW Laser to Fry Drones and Hypersonic Threats

The US Navy has kicked off a $29.9-million effort to develop one of the world’s most powerful shipboard laser weapons.

The project, called SONGBOW, aims to take out complex threats like drone swarms, cruise missiles, and hypersonic glide vehicles at the speed of light.

At its core: a 400-kilowatt laser made by combining multiple 50-kilowatt emitters into a single, precision-guided beam that represents a significant leap over existing shipboard capabilities.

Read the full story on NextGen Defense: US Navy Starts Building 400kW Laser to Fry Drones and Hypersonic Threats