Army Official Confirms Strategy Being Worked To Transition Joint Laser Weapon System

The US Army is developing a strategy to transition the Joint Laser Weapon System toward fielding and include the effort in its next budget request, according to its defensive-fires capability executive. Planning includes assessing which platforms could carry the capability as the service works toward the Pentagon Critical Technologies Office's goal of an initial capability within 24 months. The statement confirms transition planning is under way while platform choices and the acquisition approach are still being worked out. It does not announce an operational deployment, a selected carrier platform or a completed fielding decision.