A U.S. warship, which is currently deployed in the Western Pacific Ocean, was pictured firing its laser at a drone target last week.
Newsweek has contacted the Pentagon and the U.S. Navy for further comment by email.
Why It Matters
The destroyer, USS Preble, completed a switch of home port in October last year when it arrived at Yokosuka in Japan from San Diego in California to join Destroyer Squadron 15, supporting the defense of ally Japan and protecting U.S. strategic interests.
The Preble is the only U.S. destroyer armed with a high-energy laser weapon, the High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS), which can fire laser beams to destroy fast attack craft and drones.
What To Know
The Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), the principal official and adviser to the U.S. Secretary of Defense on operational and live fire test and evaluation activities involving weapons systems, released the photo in its annual report last Friday.
The black and white picture shows a bright laser beam being fired from the Preble during a demonstration at sea to verify and validate the “functionality, performance, and capability” of the HELIOS against a drone.
It was not clear when and where exactly the weapon demonstration took place. According to the report, it was one of the 32 countermeasures tests conducted in Fiscal Year 2024, which ended on September 30 last year, a few days after the Preble left San Diego for Yokosuka.
In this undated photo provided by the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation, the destroyer USS Preble fires a laser beam against an unmanned aerial vehicle target at an undisclosed location. In this undated photo provided by the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation, the destroyer USS Preble fires a laser beam against an unmanned aerial vehicle target at an undisclosed location. The Director, Operational Test and Evaluation
The Preble‘s 60-kilowatt laser weapon can work as a dazzler to “blind” the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) sensors mounted on drones. Furthermore, it can provide long-range ISR capability for combat identification and battle damage assessment.
A laser uses energy fired at the speed of light, which could be less expensive per shot and has virtually unlimited firing power in comparison with traditional defensive ship-based weapons like missiles, making it an ideal option to counter the relatively low-cost drones.
The Preble was spotted leaving Yokosuka on January 13 and returned on Monday. Photos released by the U.S. Navy showed it was underway in the North Pacific Ocean, the Philippine Sea, and the East China Sea during that period.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Navy Captain Justin Harts, head of Destroyer Squadron 15, said: “We are thrilled to have Preble join the team in the Western Pacific. Her arrival is a welcome addition to the [Destroyer Squadron 15] family, and her advanced capabilities add unique value.”
The U.S. Pacific Fleet said: “The security environment in the Indo-Pacific requires that the U.S. Navy positions the most capable ships forward.”
U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin, which developed the HELIOS, said in a press release: “HELIOS enhances the overall combat system effectiveness of the ship to deter future threats and provide additional protection for sailors.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether other Japan-based U.S. destroyers will install the HELIOS, as China has sent military drones near Japan’s islands in the contested East China Sea.
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