- Laser companies nLIGHT and Lockheed Martin’s Aculight have secured other transaction authority agreements for the Department of War’s Joint Laser Weapon System
- The OTA contracts have an initial value of $86 million but could be worth $847 million
- JLWS is a Department of War initiative aimed at transitioning direct energy laser prototypes into production and deployment readiness
The Department of War said Thursday that it has awarded two other transaction authority agreements worth a potential $847 million to accelerate development of the Joint Laser Weapon System, a directed energy capability designed to strengthen U.S. defenses against cruise missiles and unmanned aerial systems.
The contracts, which have an initial combined value of $86 million, have been awarded to nLIGHT Defense and Lockheed Martin subsidiary Aculight through the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering’s Scaled Directed Energy Critical Technology Area.
What Is the JWLS Initiative?
According to the department, the JLWS initiative is intended to move high-energy laser technology beyond prototype demonstrations and into production-ready systems suitable for operational deployment. The program focuses on developing containerized laser weapons that can provide combatant commanders with scalable, lower-cost defensive capabilities against both asymmetric threats and more advanced aerial targets.
Department officials said the initial prototypes will deliver approximately 150 kilowatts of power, while later versions are expected to reach between 300 and 500 kilowatts to improve cruise missile defense capabilities. In parallel, the department plans to develop a 500-kilowatt integrated system using technology created through the High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative.
The modular, containerized design is intended to support integration across both land-based and naval platforms, allowing the systems to be deployed more rapidly throughout geographic combatant commands.
“We must actively defend the homeland against emerging threats,” said Emil Michael, under secretary of war for research and engineering and winner of the 2026 Wash100 award. “We are partnering with industry to rapidly deliver deep magazine directed energy capabilities to the Joint Force that can be seamlessly deployed across multiple domains.”
What Are the Capabilities of the Contract Awardees?
nLIGHT is a U.S. developer of high-power laser technologies for defense applications, specializing in directed energy systems designed to counter aerial threats such as drones, rockets, artillery and missiles. The company develops and manufactures vertically integrated products — from semiconductor laser components to complete high-energy laser systems — that support military missions requiring precision, scalability and rapid target engagement.
Aculight became part of Lockheed Martin in 2008 after being acquired to strengthen the defense contractor’s advanced technology portfolio. Prior to the acquisition, Aculight developed laser-based technologies for U.S. defense and aerospace customers, with capabilities spanning high-power directed energy, laser radar, countermeasures and other laser applications. Following the acquisition, Aculight’s expertise was integrated into Lockheed Martin’s efforts to advance directed energy technologies, supporting the company’s development of laser systems for military applications.
