---
title: "The U.S. Military is Mounting a Giant Laser Cannon on a Destroyer"
description: "The U.S. Navy says that it's going to outfit a destroyer with a laser system made by military contractor Lockheed Martin."
date: "2019-03-22"
modified: "2019-03-22"
authors:
  - name: "Jon Christian"
    job_title: "Executive Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jonc"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/us-military-giant-laser-cannon"
categories:
  - "Military"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "laser weapon"
  - "military"
  - "Navy"
  - "the digest"
---

# The U.S. Military is Mounting a Giant Laser Cannon on a Destroyer

![The U.S. Navy says that it's going to outfit a destroyer with a laser system made by military contractor Lockheed Martin.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/us-military-giant-laser-cannon.png>)
*\<em\>Image: U.S. Navy\</em\>*

## Laser Cannon

The U.S. Navy says that it's going to outfit a Destroyer ship with a laser system made by military contractor Lockheed Martin — and with the dramatic name HELIOS, which stands for High Energy Laser and Integrated Optical-dazzler with Surveillance.

"The HELIOS program is the first of its kind, and brings together laser weapon, long-range \[intelligence and surveillance\] and counter-\[unmanned aerial system\] capabilities, dramatically increasing the situational awareness and layered defense options available to the U.S. Navy," said Lockheed spokesperson Michele Evans in a [statement](<https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/lockheed-martin-receives-150-million-contract-to-deliver-integrated-high-energy-laser-weapon-systems-to-us-navy-2018-03-01>).

## Power Trip

The HELIOS system is designed to obliterate drones and small boats, [according to](<https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a26898213/navy-laser-weapon-destroyer/>) *Popular Mechanics* — and it also reportedly has surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

The system is 60 kilowatts, which *PopMech* pointed out is twice the power of an earlier system the [Navy deployed](<https://www.cnn.com/2017/07/17/politics/us-navy-drone-laser-weapon/index.html>) on an amphibious transport ship.

The system will cost $150 million dollars, and the Navy hopes to install it by 2021.

**READ MORE:** [The Navy Plans to Put HELIOS Laser Weapon on Destroyer by 2021](<https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a26898213/navy-laser-weapon-destroyer/>) \[*Popular Mechanics*\]

**More on laser weapons:** [Russia’s Latest Weapon: A Laser Cannon](<https://futurism.com/russias-latest-weapon-laser-cannon>)

## Author
I'm responsible for editing, assigning, and scouting at Futurism, as well as occasionally writing for the site. That work involves keeping an eye on a wide range of narratives and issues, but over the past few years I've become increasingly interested in how AI is shaping the future of media, the web, and information itself. My day-to-day often involves collaborating on reporting and commentary projects bylined by my colleagues, but I try to find time to do my own reporting as well; stories I've broken for Futurism have been cited by publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Wired, Ars Technica, New York Magazine, the Columbia Journalism Review, Bloomberg, and more. I grew up in Southern Vermont and attended Vanderbilt University. Prior to Futurism, I contributed to outlets including the Boston Globe, Vice, Wired, Slate, the Atlantic, the Outline, Ars Technica and more, and did stints in farming and food service. I currently live in Brooklyn, New York, and in my free time I enjoy pinball, word games, cycling, running, and music production.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/jonchristian.net>)