US Navy Deploys HELIOS Laser to Counter Iranian Drones at Minimal Cost

The U.S. Navy has successfully deployed a high-energy laser weapon-HELIOS-to counter Iranian Shahed-136 drones in the Persian Gulf. Each drone costs $20,000-$50,000, but intercepting them with traditional missiles like Patriots or THAADs runs $3 million to $10 million per shot.

HELIOS, or High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance, changes that equation. Mounted on the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Preble-the only ship currently equipped-the system neutralizes threats for mere cents per shot.

Developed by Lockheed Martin under a contract awarded in January 2018, HELIOS delivers 60 kilowatts of power, scalable to 120 kW. It can either “dazzle” a drone’s guidance system or destroy it outright by overheating critical components.

Beyond offense, HELIOS doubles as a surveillance platform, using thermal imaging and ultra-high-definition optics to detect and track targets up to 8 kilometers away. However, its effectiveness diminishes in adverse weather-rain, fog, dust, or smoke can scatter the beam.

With the U.S. spending nearly $1 billion daily on the ongoing conflict, HELIOS offers a cost-efficient shield against asymmetric threats.