National Defense:

The Navy this year will be firing a high-energy laser weapon that is fully integrated with one of its destroyers, which proponents say is a major step toward fielding directed energy technology.

Joe Ottaviano, Lockheed Martin business development director for advanced product solutions, said he has heard the adage that battlefield lasers always seem to be “one year away” from fielding, but asserted that this time is different.

The High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance, or HELIOS, this year is slated to be permanently deployed aboard a Flight IIA DDG Arleigh Burke destroyer and integrated with its Aegis combat system.

“We’re delivering a full-end system that actually brings defense capabilities to an area where there currently isn’t any and exceeds the capability I think we all had in our mind going forward,” Ottaviano said in a press briefing…

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