Pushing the Limits, Building the Future of Defense: AeroVironment's LOCUST® Directed-Energy Counter-UAS System Becomes the U.S. Military's Preferred Choice
AeroVironment's John Garrity, VP of Counter-UAS Directed Energy, explains why the LOCUST® (Low-Cost UAV Swarming Technology) system has emerged as the U.S. military's preferred counter-UAS effector. LOCUST has become the U.S. Army's first operationally fielded directed-energy laser weapon system and completed a live-fire demonstration at White Sands Missile Range, defending freedom at the speed of light.
Highlights
- AeroVironment's LOCUST® has become the U.S. Army's first directed-energy laser weapon system ever formally fielded to operational combat forces.
- LOCUST completed a live-fire demonstration at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, witnessed in person by the Secretary of the Army.
- The system engages targets at the speed of light, enabling rapid response against large-scale drone swarm attacks at a lower per-intercept cost than kinetic weapons.
- AeroVironment VP John Garrity cited LOCUST's combat-proven speed, scalability, and multi-layer integration as key factors behind its adoption as the U.S. military's preferred C-UAS effector.
- AeroVironment Chairman and CEO Wahid Nawabi outlined the company's future battlefield strategy in a recent CNBC interview, underscoring the firm's commitment to directed-energy defense technology.
John Garrity, Vice President of AeroVironment's Counter-UAS Directed Energy business unit, recently explained why LOCUST® (Low-Cost UAV Swarming Technology) is increasingly becoming the U.S. military's most sought-after counter-UAS (C-UAS) effector — meeting the engagement requirements of multi-layered defense architectures within effective range through its combat-proven speed, scalability, and reliability.
Key Milestones Achieved in Succession
Prior to a recent CNBC interview with AeroVironment Chairman, President, and CEO Wahid Nawabi, LOCUST had already reached several significant milestones:
- First Operationally Fielded Directed-Energy Laser Weapon System: LOCUST became the U.S. Department of the Army's first directed-energy laser weapon system ever formally fielded to combat forces.
- Live-Fire Validation at White Sands Missile Range: The system completed a high-profile live-fire demonstration at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, witnessed in person by the Secretary of the Army, fully demonstrating its operational credibility.
Defending Freedom at the Speed of Light
As drone threats on the modern battlefield grow increasingly complex and diverse, conventional kinetic weapons face dual challenges of cost-effectiveness and response time when countering large-scale swarm attacks. The LOCUST system, built around directed-energy laser technology, offers:
- High-Speed Engagement: Engages targets at the speed of light, dramatically reducing reaction time
- Scalability: Capable of sustained engagement against multiple successive target sets, lowering the per-intercept cost
- Multi-Layer Integration: Designed to integrate seamlessly into existing multi-layered air defense and counter-UAS architectures
The Future of Defense Is Accelerating
"The future of defense is evolving rapidly," Garrity emphasized, noting that the deployment of LOCUST represents a decisive step forward in the practical operationalization of directed-energy weapons by the United States. In his CNBC interview, Wahid Nawabi further elaborated on the company's strategic vision for the future battlefield.
The full CNBC interview can be viewed at the official link: https://t.co/byAzHWbrGG
Source: AeroVironment Official Statement
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