U.S. Navy Tests High-Energy Laser on USS George H.W. Bush: A Game-Changer for Shipboard Defense

The U.S. Navy has taken a significant step toward integrating high-energy laser weapons across its fleet, with a landmark live-fire test conducted aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) in October 2025. The test demonstrated the operational potential of directed energy systems in maritime environments, as revealed by recent Navy disclosures and photos published by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) on April 20, 2025.

The test featured a 20 kilowatt Palletized High Energy Laser (P-HEL), a system based on AV’s LOCUST Laser Weapon System. The P-HEL was on loan from the U.S. Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO). According to AV officials, the laser weapon successfully tracked, engaged, and neutralized multiple target drones, including drone swarms, from the deck of the Bush. This achievement represents a major milestone toward fielding operational directed energy capabilities across all domains and platforms.

AV’s vice president for directed energy systems, John Garrity, confirmed that the live-fire test involved 17 drones. The P-HEL system has been deployed overseas for years to protect U.S. service members from low-cost weaponized drones. Beyond the containerized P-HEL, the U.S. Army currently operates at least four LOCUST systems integrated into M1301 Infantry Squad Vehicles and Joint Light Tactical Vehicles as part of the Army Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) initiative.

The U.S. Marine Corps also awarded a contract to AV in November 2023 to deliver a LOCUST laser weapon for integration into a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). However, it remains unclear whether the Marine Corps has taken receipt of the system as of the time of this report.

AV’s predecessor company, BlueHalo, had been in discussions with the Navy since at least 2024 to test the LOCUST system not only on aircraft carriers but also on submarines. The successful live-fire test aboard the USS George H.W. Bush marks a departure from the Navy’s previous shipboard laser weapon efforts, which have primarily focused on Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers.

Power and Space Considerations for Laser Weapons Aboard Ships

The Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers host the 60 kW High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) and the lower-power Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN) systems. However, these destroyers face power constraints due to the high energy demands of capabilities such as the AN/SPY-6 Air and Missile Defense Radar systems in Flight III variants. Garrity emphasized that the Bush live-fire test demonstrated that the LOCUST system can recharge effortlessly from an aircraft carrier’s nuclear reactors, and that power requisition aboard Flight III destroyers should not pose a significant obstacle to keeping the system operational during combat.

The employment of a palletized LOCUST system aligns with the vision of Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, who advocates for a future surface fleet augmented by modular, adaptable systems. Unlike the Navy’s previous integrations of HELIOS and ODIN directly into the Aegis Combat Systems across the Arleigh Burke fleet, the palletized LOCUST offers greater flexibility and ease of deployment.

The live-fire test aboard the USS George H.W. Bush represents a historic achievement in the Navy’s pursuit of directed energy capabilities. By demonstrating the feasibility of high-energy lasers on large deck ships, the service is paving the way for broader adoption of these systems across its fleet, enhancing its ability to counter emerging threats such as drone swarms and low-cost weaponized drones.