AV, Boeing, Epirus And Kord Selected For Directed Energy C-UAS Pilot

The Pentagon has selected four directed-energy systems for a counter-drone pilot led by Joint Interagency Task Force 401 under the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The participants are AeroVironment’s Palletized High Energy Laser, Boeing’s Compact Laser Weapon System, Epirus’s Leonidas high-power microwave system and Kord’s Firefly laser. The effort will collect operational data on performance, requirements, costs and employment practices in coordination with the services, US Northern Command and the Federal Aviation Administration. A December evaluation at Dugway will support further comparison, with pilot selection establishing an assessment phase rather than a broad deployment commitment.