Army requesting tiny, robust counter-UAV laser weapons from industry so they can move with manoeuvre forces………..

In order to combat UAVs weighing up to 1,320 pounds, the Army will showcase prototypes of laser weapons that can destroy UAVs through modular open-systems architectural designs.

AL, REDSTONE ARSENAL In order to identify businesses interested in creating prototype laser weapons that can move with soldiers in the field to destroy or disable a range of hostile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), U.S. Army high-energy laser weapons experts are contacting the industry.

Industry participants are invited to submit two-page papers by February 21, 2024, to the Army Directed Energy Prototyping Office. This is in advance of industry briefings that are provisionally set for April 3, 2024, in Toftoy Hall on Redstone Arsenal.

The possibility of incorporating a laser weapon that destroys UAVs into its manoeuvre troops is being assessed by Army authorities. Potential high-energy laser weapons using modular open-systems architecture (MOSA) designs to destroy or disable adversary unmanned aircraft up to 1,320 pounds will be identified during a demonstration.

Related: Front-line ready high-energy laser weaponry

Army officials have said that they will release a request for proposals to create a counter-UAV high-energy laser prototype after witnessing a vendor demonstrate a high-energy laser.

The goal of the Army Directed Energy Prototyping Office at Redstone Alabama,Arsenal,  is to make laser weapons more capable of taking down adversary class-3 UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles, weighing up to 1,320 pounds.

The Army intends to evaluate the operational maturity of industry laser weapons subsystems, including threat trackers that can interface with hardware and software interfaces, current U.S. Army command and control and sensor architectures, and beam control systems, beam directors, power and thermal systems, in order to accomplish this.

Related: From prototype to deployment, high-energy laser weapons happen fast

By February 21, 2024, at PANRSA-24-P-0000 004638, each company that wishes to take part in the counter-UAV laser weapons demonstration must email an unclassified two-page white paper to the Army about their system.

By emailing requests to Army Tracy Elliott at tracy.d.elliott2.ctr@army.mil by March 6, 2024, you can register for the industry day briefings. A copy of your request should be sent to Maj. Weston Goodrich at weston.b.goodrich@army.mil.

Send an email at tracy.d.elliott2.ctr@army.mil to Tracy Elliott with any queries or concerns. Visit https://sam.gov/opp/a1a53e0549584175ab5743047412ee98/view for more details.