The HELIOS system has been in development since 2018, and in fiscal year 2024, it was used to shoot target drones. If you're wondering why the Navy would dump the tried and true methods of hitting ...

The U.S. military's Center for Countermeasures supported the test and collected images that support and validate the HELIOS as a viable countermeasure against low-cost drones and other weapons.

The USS Preble successfully test fires the HELIOS directed-energy weapon at an unmanned aerial drone at an unreported time and location in 2024. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Defense ...