Why shoot a $3 million missile when a $3.50 laser can do the job: Inside the US military's new drone defence bet

The United States military is accelerating its push towards high-energy laser weapons as a cost-effective alternative to traditional missile defence systems, with President Donald Trump declaring this week that the technology would soon replace Patriot missile interceptors "at a lot less cost."

Firing a laser costs as little as $3.50 per shot, compared with more than $3 million per shot for a Patriot missile interceptor to neutralise a drone, a stark contrast that has renewed urgency around the technology across the Middle East, where Iran-linked drones have repeatedly targeted oil refineries and US bases.

"The laser technology that we have now is incredible," Trump told reporters. "It's coming out pretty soon."

How the technology works

High-energy lasers work by concentrating beams of light onto a drone's weak spots, effectively frying its components. David Stoudt, executive director of the Directed Energy Professional Society and a pioneer in counter-explosive device technology, described it as "like a blowtorch at a distance."

However, the technology is far from instantaneous. Lasers must lock onto a target for at least three seconds, often longer in cloudy conditions. "This isn't 'Star Trek,' where your target is disintegrated instantaneously," said Jared Keller, author of the Laser Wars newsletter on military technology. "Lasers aren't magic. They run headlong into physics wherever they are operating."

Limitations in the field

The technology carries significant operational limitations. Humidity can bend rays of light, fog can block beams entirely, and sea spray or sand can damage sensitive optical components, making repairs difficult in active combat zones.

TOI, reporting on a New York Times investigation, noted that the US military has spent decades pursuing laser weapons, but experts cautioned it could still be years before soldiers routinely deploy them. Four 50-kilowatt lasers deployed to defend US bases in Iraq from drone attacks in 2024 were reportedly found "cumbersome and ineffective," according to a report by the Centre for a New American Security.

Scott Keeney, chief executive and co-founder of nLight, a Washington-based military laser manufacturer, urged caution against overstating the technology's reach. "Lasers are not the solution in every environment at all times. No one should be saying that," he said.

Global race for laser capability

Several nations are advancing their own programmes. Israel has experimented with a system called Iron Beam, developed by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, though its 100-kilowatt laser delivered in December is not yet operational, according to the Jerusalem Post. Australia's Electro Optic Systems has supplied a 100-kilowatt laser to South Korea. Ukraine is deploying a compact mobile system called Sunray, which fits into a car boot. China, meanwhile, unveiled a 180-kilowatt laser system, the LY-1, mounted on a ship in September.

Costs and contracts

While the cost per shot is minimal, building the systems themselves is expensive. Lockheed Martin received a $150 million contract in 2018 to produce two prototypes, resulting in HELIOS, a 60-kilowatt ship-mounted laser now deployed on the USS Preble in Japan. The Navy is continuing to test the system's resilience to saltwater and humidity. Under a separate $35 million contract, nLight delivered a 70-kilowatt laser to the US Army.

Emil Michael, undersecretary of defence for research and engineering, last year designated "scaled directed energy," encompassing lasers and microwaves, as a Department of Defence priority, encouraging smaller companies to compete for contracts.

Supply chain and production concerns

Scaling up production presents its own set of challenges. High-energy lasers require rare-earth metals such as ytterbium and gallium, which are largely produced in China. Manufacturing critical components including diffraction gratings, mirrors, and lenses is a slow process yielding limited numbers, according to a 2024 report by the National Defence Industrial Association.

"Efforts to scale up production would quickly run into issues including producing optical components, beam directors, batteries," the report warned.

Civilian safety also remains a concern. Lasers pointed at aircraft can incapacitate pilots, endangering passengers, as seen in the recent closure of an airport in El Paso, Texas. Nearly 11,000 laser incidents were reported to the Federal Aviation Administration last year.