US-made Valaris high-energy laser subsystem ships for international defense program

Attalon has shipped its first Valaris high-energy laser subsystem to a US customer in support of an international defense program as mission-ready directed energy capabilities continue to expand among US allies.

The company recently announced that it shipped the subsystem to a US customer. Designed and manufactured in the United States, the shipment marks the first time the company has produced a Valaris subsystem for an international end-use requirement.

“This milestone demonstrates the growing demand for Valaris and for high-energy laser technology that can be produced, fielded, and sustained at scale,” said Attalon CEO John Bergeron

“Attalon is building that capability here in the United States in support of the U.S. warfighter while extending proven, U.S. built technology to allied forces upgrading their capabilities around the world.”

The shipment comes as Attalon increases its production capacity and expands the use of its Valaris technology across domestic defense programs.

Attalon expands US laser production

Valaris is a family of “mission-ready, beam-combined high-energy laser subsystems” engineered for integration into operational defense systems according to the press release. The term family refers to coherently, spectrally, and dichroically beam-combined architectures that span power levels from 5 kW to more than 400 kW.

As stated in the press release, the company also recently announced a $15 million investment in its U.S. directed energy manufacturing capacity, which reflects the growing demand for high-energy laser systems.

The Defense Post reported that AeroVironment is executing a long-term agreement with Attalon to obtain laser subsystems that will support the production and fielding of its high-energy laser systems at scale.

The agreement centers on Attalon supplying its Valaris S laser subsystems across AeroVironment’s growing portfolio of high-energy laser programs, including the LOCUST weapon, which has been cleared for U.S. Army production.

“AV is proactively scaling our LOCUST production capabilities ahead of immediate demand, ensuring our defensive technologies are ready before the need arises,” said Mary Clum, AeroVironment president of Space, Cyber, and Directed Energy in Defense Post.

The U.S. Army is investing in high-energy laser systems for counter-drone operations. It will pay AeroVironment $464.8 million for a new laser weapon system designed to shoot down aerial drones, The National Interest reported.

US military wants lasers

AeroVironment will provide dozens of LOCUST X3 systems for multi-year fielding under the Army’s Enduring-High Energy Laser program. The 30-kW LOCUST X3 supports the Army’s layered air defense against Group 1-3 unmanned aircraft systems and can integrate with military vehicles including the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.

Attalon’s subsystems will play a crucial role in the program’s success, though the press release did not clarify where the first shipment of its Valaris systems was headed.

However, as Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve said in National Interest, theAeroVironmentLOCUST systems reflect “a first-of-its-kind directed energy program” to enable the military to “defeat unmanned systems.”

“Pairing human ingenuity with advanced technology is what ensures our Army will continue to outpace America’s adversaries.”

Attalon’s first international Valaris shipment extends the U.S.-manufactured platform beyond domestic defense programs as the company expands production at home and supplies Valaris technology for high-energy laser systems entering U.S. Army production.