The work supports production of AeroVironment’s 30-kilowatt LOCUST X3 system, designed to counter unmanned aircraft. The Army awarded AeroVironment the E-HEL production contract in September 2026, saying it would provide soldiers with a scalable, affordable directed-energy capability.
“The Army’s move to production reflects the growing importance of scalable, fieldable directed-energy capabilities in countering evolving UAS threats,” said John Baylouny, president and chief executive officer of Leonardo DRS. “DRS is proud to partner with AV and bring its integration expertise to its E-HEL production effort.”
LOCUST X3 is designed for integration across a range of military platforms, including the Army’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. AeroVironment also offers palletized configurations.
“Evolving drone threats demand systems that deliver reliable performance in demanding operational environments,” said Aaron Hankins, vice president and general manager of Leonardo DRS Land Systems. “Our team is applying experience in vehicle integration, power and thermal management to help AV deliver a mobile high-energy laser capability for the U.S. Army.”
The companies previously worked with other industry partners on a rapid-prototyping effort to integrate a counter-drone directed-energy system into an armored vehicle. DRS provided vehicle-integration, power, thermal-management and systems-engineering expertise for U.S. government live-fire evaluations and training in 2024 and 2025.
