The US Army is set to formally add laser weapons to its arsenal for the first time, with the Pentagon poised to sign a contract for what is called an Enduring High Energy Laser system. The deal, expected to be announced as early as this week, would see the lasers deployed at and around military bases worldwide to counter the growing threat of drone attacks, marking a significant shift after more than 50 years of largely unsuccessful US efforts to develop viable laser weapons.

The move comes amid mounting evidence from the wars in Ukraine and against Iranian-backed forces that cheap, mass-produced drones cannot be reliably countered by conventional means alone, including costly interceptor missiles such as the $4 million Patriot, which has been used against drones worth a fraction of that price. The US military already has roughly half a dozen laser systems deployed or under testing, including Navy "dazzlers" and an Air Force system in Europe, though results have been mixed: some Raytheon-equipped vehicles were withdrawn from the Middle East after poor reviews, and an AeroVironment laser on the southern border mistakenly shot down a party balloon and a Border Patrol drone in February. The push for a formal laser programme intensified after an Iranian drone killed six US service members and injured 30 others on 1 March.