High Energy Laser Advanced Technology Program

The High Energy Laser Advanced Development program, managed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and executed through the Joint Directed Energy Transition Office (JDETO), is a Department of Defense (DoD) initiative focused on the research, development, and advanced technology maturation of directed energy weapon systems. The primary goal of this program is to provide the DoD with a sustainable and long-term technological advantage in directed energy, supporting a resilient joint force and defense ecosystem. The program aligns with the Department's Directed Energy Roadmap and is overseen by the Principal Director for Directed Energy, who ensures annual updates and strategic alignment across DoD components.

Specifically, the High Energy Laser Advanced Development program aims to advance the output power of directed energy weapon systems, making them operationally effective for a variety of military missions. The program supports improvements in key system components, enabling scalable architectures, increased lethality, enhanced supportability, and greater affordability. Directed energy weapons offer significant advantages, such as speed-of-light engagement, high precision, low incremental cost per engagement, and reduced logistical burdens compared to traditional munitions. These attributes make them suitable for a wide range of defense applications, including point and area defense missions.

The program is structured around two main technical efforts and a new initiative. The first, the advanced technology development effort, focuses on high energy laser and high power microwave systems. Objectives include supporting prototype-level integration and conducting proof-of-concept demonstrations in laboratory or field environments, often with joint and international participation. In FY 2026, this effort will conclude development of electronically driven continuous wave laser sources at higher power levels and continue work on meter-class beam directors and joint beam control systems. Additionally, investment in high power microwave system components will enable near-term demonstrations.

The second technical effort is designed to transition advanced prototypes into mission-driven lethality and survivability demonstrations. This includes integrating adaptive optics into legacy beam directors, conducting field tests with surrogate high energy lasers, and beginning integration of high-power laser sources developed under the advanced technology development effort. Emphasis is placed on rigorous test and evaluation in relevant environments, assessing system lethality and survivability against specific threats, and refining engagement models and aimpoint selection methodologies.

A new initiative, the pulsed high energy laser scaling effort, is set to accelerate in FY 2026 with mandatory funding. Its goal is to scale electronically driven pulsed laser sources to operationally relevant energy densities and validate their performance for integration into advanced prototypes. The initiative will assess the state of the art, mature government laboratory capabilities, conduct initial propagation studies, and develop a transition plan in collaboration with industry partners. This work is intended to be integrated into the broader advanced technology development effort.

Additionally, a congressional add in FY 2025 supports a project to develop modular, open-system beam control and director subsystems for integration with high energy laser systems. This effort is aligned with critical mission areas such as counter-unmanned aerial systems, cruise missile defense, and counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar operations. By leveraging Warfighter input and standardizing system interfaces, the project seeks to increase affordability, reliability, and upgradability, thereby accelerating the transition of these technologies to operational programs of record.