The JLWS program is led by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering SCADE CTA. The effort is intended to transition directed energy capabilities from demonstration prototypes into field-ready, production-oriented platforms.
The Department of War aims to develop containerized high-energy laser weapons that can provide combatant commanders with scalable and cost-effective intercept solutions. nLIGHT said the systems are intended to address asymmetric and high-tier adversary threats.
The prototype systems are designed to offer operational advantages over traditional kinetic systems. These include speed-of-light engagement, exceptionally deep magazines and significantly lower cost per intercept, which nLIGHT said are essential for countering high-volume UAS swarms and advanced cruise missile threats.
Initial JLWS prototypes will be rated at approximately 150 kW to address urgent operational demands. Later iterations are expected to scale toward the 300 kW to 500 kW threshold required for robust cruise missile defense.
“This award reflects the Department of War’s increasing focus on transitioning directed energy from prototype to deployed capability at scale and aligns directly with our strategy to move beyond demonstration programs and into production-oriented platforms that can be fielded across land and maritime environments,” said Scott Keeney, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of nLIGHT. “nLIGHT’s vertically integrated laser architecture, state-of-the-art beam combination, precision tracking expertise, and production-ready high-energy laser solutions position us to deliver reliable, scalable performance in support of next-generation air and missile defense missions.”
Under JLWS, nLIGHT will develop, integrate and deliver multiple high-energy laser weapon systems and other directed energy capabilities. The company said the work will build on its delivery of a 300 kW high-energy laser through OUSD’s High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative program and a 50 kW high-energy laser through the Army’s Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense program.
nLIGHT said it will use its proprietary coherent beam combination and atmospheric correction technology, along with a vertically integrated manufacturing approach. The company said this will support modular, containerized systems that can be integrated across a range of platforms and rapidly deployed in theater.
JLWS will be carried out under an OTA contract, which supports rapid prototyping and flexible collaboration with the Department of War. nLIGHT said the contracting approach allows for iterative development and faster transition to production compared with traditional acquisition pathways.
The company’s directed energy portfolio includes the HADES family of high-energy laser systems. nLIGHT said these systems are designed for scalable deployment across counter-UAS, counter-RAM and missile defense missions.
The HADES systems use nLIGHT’s high-brightness laser technology, atmospheric correction and beam-combining architecture. The company said the aim is to deliver high performance in compact, field-deployable configurations.
nLIGHT said the JLWS award comes as the United States increases its defense focus on directed energy. The company said planned demonstrations of operational systems as early as 2028 make JLWS a critical step toward fielding production-ready laser weapon systems at scale.
