The Pentagon is spending big on lasers to shoot down hostile drones and cruise missiles

The Pentagon is investing $86 million initially (with a total program max of $847 million) in laser weapons to counter drones and cruise missiles, partnering with nLIGHT Defense and Lockheed Martin Aculight. The goal is to scale power from 150kW to 300-500kW for effective missile defense, leveraging lower-cost, high-speed laser technology.