Laser-Equipped US Spy Drone Unveiled as Game-Changer in Modern Warfare

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Laser-Equipped US Spy Drone Unveiled as Game-Changer in Modern Warfare

 

In a bold technological leap amid rising fears of a potential global conflict, a U.S. defense company has unveiled a revolutionary weapon: a drone-mounted laser capable of melting missiles mid-air. General Atomics introduced this first-of-its-kind defense system at the Sea Air Space 2025 event in National Harbor, Maryland, revealing its integration with the MQ-9B SkyGuardian — an advanced autonomous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drone.

 

 

The laser currently operates at an output of 25 kilowatts, enough to neutralize or destroy small airborne threats, particularly swarms of low-cost, disposable drones. But General Atomics claims the system’s capabilities are far from capped. The technology could be scaled up to 300 kilowatts, allowing it to take down much larger and more dangerous targets such as cruise missiles and enemy aircraft by melting through critical structural components.

 

 

This new laser system is designed for both pulsed and continuous operation, and is capable of functioning in all kinds of environmental conditions, making it versatile for modern battlefield demands. During the event, General Atomics showcased video footage of the MQ-9B laser targeting and neutralizing drones modeled after Iran’s Shahed 'kamikaze' drones — the same type of weapon used in recent global conflicts — as they approached a navy vessel.

 

Beyond its futuristic appeal, the laser represents a significant cost-saving measure for the military. Traditionally, incoming drones or missiles are intercepted with expensive and non-reusable missiles. In contrast, laser beams are immune to direct destruction and can continue delivering damage as long as the drone’s power supply holds. “A laser beam can't be directly destroyed, and it will keep inflicting damage as long as it has power,” a company representative explained.

 

However, the primary limitation remains the power supply. While the MQ-9B SkyGuardian can stay airborne for over 40 hours, the addition of a high-energy laser could reduce its operational endurance. General Atomics has not yet disclosed the extent of this reduction, leaving questions about sustained deployment in high-intensity combat zones.

 

Nevertheless, this development is a milestone in the U.S. military’s pursuit of airborne high-energy laser (HEL) systems. The journey has not been smooth — the U.S. Air Force’s SHiELD program, once intended to shield aircraft from missile threats, was terminated in 2024 without producing a functional prototype or conducting any test flights. Despite this, the Air Force Research Lab maintained that the initiative had achieved “significant advances in the readiness of airborne HEL technology.” It's possible these advances contributed indirectly to General Atomics’ breakthrough, though the company emphasizes its system was developed independently.

 

The timing of this innovation couldn't be more critical. Swarming drone attacks and kamikaze-style aerial strikes, like those witnessed in Ukraine and across the Middle East, have become increasingly frequent and affordable. Between August 1, 2024, and March 1, 2025, Ukraine recorded 15,011 Shahed-type drones launched by Russia, many aimed at civilian targets, according to the Institute for Science and International Security.

 

Traditional missile-based defense mechanisms are proving too costly and sluggish to address the growing tide of small, fast-moving aerial threats. A laser-equipped drone like the MQ-9B could offer a much-needed solution — rapid, accurate, and economically sustainable. As the global security landscape grows ever more volatile, innovations like this may very well redefine how nations defend themselves in the skies.

 

  Adpated by ASEAN Now from Daily Mail  2025-04-24

 

 

[thesetat]

The US had better do something to counter the threat of attack. Drones are the future of repelling and attacking an enemy. As seen in the recent wars they are quite effective and cheap to use. Currently the US can not even identify drones as seen with all of those drones on the East Coast a few months ago. They do however have technology to down drones but that just means making them lose power and dropping their arsenal on whatever they crash on. 

[wombat]

It needs a bigger rubber band.

[JulesMad]

The us is champion in deadly death weapons, is very proud of it and sells these weapons (officially and black market) to whoever wants to pay for them.
They get rich of making war, preferably in other countries 🤮