The US Navy plans to install high-energy laser pointer and integrated optical blinding surveillance weapon systems on the Ali Burke-class destroyers deployed on the US West Coast by 2021. It is understood that the system can emit 60 kilowatts of laser light, which is three times higher than the solid-state laser weapon equipped on the "Ponce" amphibious transport ship test ship in early 2014. It is mainly used to attack small ships and drones. In 2018, Lockheed Martin and the US Navy signed a contract worth US$150 million for the delivery of two sets of weapon systems, one of which was used for onshore testing and the other was installed on a warship.
As laser weapons continue to be used, the problem of integrating the US Navy’s existing combat systems with them has become increasingly prominent. The laser weapon system must not only play a striking role, but also provide more accurate target-locking data than existing shipborne combat systems. The combination of the ability to provide target-locked data and the play of attack power has become a major challenge for the HELIOS weapon system. In addition, the Navy’s attach personnel will learn from the beginning the operating procedures for using existing combat systems to control laser weapons. The US Navy plans to develop a laser system with the ability to resist greater threats such as anti-ship cruise missiles.
On June 19, the US Marine Corps announced that the "Claw" prototype had been delivered to the US Marine Corps for anti-drone mission testing. It is understood that the "claw" is the first land-based green laser pointer approved by the US Department of Defense for use by ground combatants. In recent years, the US Department of Defense has assessed that directed energy weapons can replace traditional weapons to complete anti-drone missions, and have good economics. If the performance is good, the "claw" will become an important part of the anti-drone system. The plan adheres to the concept of "fast design and fast delivery". From the award of the contract to the completion of integration and testing, the delivery of the US Marine Corps training and the completion of deployment preparation, the entire process takes only about one year.