A military-grade laser weapon system has been deployed as part of the air-defense network protecting President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, US security agencies have confirmed.
Officials from NORAD and US Northern Command confirmed to The War Zone that counter-drone and air-defense capabilities had been deployed in and around Mar-a-Lago at the request of the US Secret Service, citing a heightened security environment while declining to disclose operational details.
“These assets add a complementary layer of technology to enhance protection,” the statement said.
The system, AeroVironment’s LOCUST, is a high-energy laser designed to detect, track, and disable Group 1 through Group 3 (quadcopters, small drones, and fixed-wing aircraft that weigh up to 600 kilograms) using directed-energy technology. The system can be deployed in a fixed or mobile configuration, moved on a pallet, or mounted on a vehicle.
The Secret Service was quoted as saying that the agency “is operating in a heightened threat environment, and we continuously adapt our protective operations to incorporate cutting-edge tools, technologies, and methods to safeguard our protectees.”
According to The War Zone, at Mar-a-Largo the system is mounted on a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) and operates as part of a larger defensive network alongside radar systems, infrared sensors, electronic countermeasures such as jamming systems, and AN/TWQ-1 Avenger short-range air-defense systems mounted on a floating platform.
Earlier this year, AeroVironment unveiled its LOCUST X3, and it is unclear which version has been deployed.
The LOCUST X3 features a scalable 20-35+ kilowatt laser and a modular beam director, and it uses AI to detect, track, and engage threats.
AeroVironment space, cyber, and directed energy president Mary Clum was quoted by Army Technology as saying that the upgraded HPL “transforms how defenders respond to the challenge of massed drone attacks. Its modular design and advanced AI allow for resilient, adaptive protection of critical assets on any platform, at the tactical edge, or at fixed sites. With LOCUST X3, operators can now counter high-volume threats with unmatched speed, precision, and affordability.”
In September, the company was awarded a contract of approximately $464.8 million by the US Army Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Fires. The contract marks the first-ever production for the high-energy laser weapon system in US history, allowing the US Army to field a scalable solution against hostile unmanned aerial systems.
The contract will have the company deliver dozens of LOCUST X3 to the US Army to advance its layered air defense capabilities, “While also solidifying directed energy as a cornerstone of future battlefield operations,” the company said in a statement at the time.
Low-cost, highly precise
The reported deployment marks another real-world use of counter-drone laser technology as the US military continues to expand the operational role of directed-energy weapons.
Driven by the pressing need to counter increasingly available weaponry like drones, governments and militaries around the world have been working to develop and deploy high-power laser technology. Hostile forces are flooding battlefields with low-cost but sometimes highly precise weapons, which, despite their affordability, can inflict significant damage.
The growing proliferation of such weapons, including UAVs and guided munitions, poses a meaningful threat, necessitating defenses like high-power laser systems to neutralize them before they can cause harm.
According to AeroVironment, LOCUST can engage a threat at less than $10 per shot, compared to more traditional kinetic weapons that can cost millions of dollars. The systems are designed to detect, engage, and defeat threats within seconds, delivering a highly accurate strike as soon as the threat is identified.
A report by Army Technology said that the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of War have established a safety agreement allowing the LOCUST system to be operated in US airspace.
This is meant to enable rapid response to provide a higher level of protection for both military and civilian targets.