INTEL: Japan Joins U.S. and UK Navies in Deploying Laser Weapons on Warships.

Japan has installed its first high-powered shipborne laser weapon, mounting a 100-kilowatt-class system aboard the testbed destroyer JS Asuka. The deployment places Japan alongside the United States and the United Kingdom as allied navies accelerate the deployment of directed-energy defenses against emerging maritime threats.

Japan has crossed a major threshold in maritime defense with the first-ever installation of a high-energy laser weapon aboard a naval warship. Defense officials confirmed that a 100-kilowatt-class laser system has been mounted on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force testbed destroyer JS Asuka, marking the country’s most advanced step yet into shipborne directed-energy technology. The move aligns Japan with the United States and the United Kingdom, both of which are already deploying and testing similar naval laser systems in response to rapidly evolving threats across the maritime domain.
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Japan’s JS Asuka experimental destroyer outfitted with a 100kW-class laser weapon system during integration trials, marking the nation’s first operational step into directed energy naval defense.  (Picture source: Japan MoD)

JS Asuka, long used as an experimental platform within the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), has now been tasked with conducting live sea trials of the laser system, which was developed domestically by a team led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Toshiba Energy Systems. Defense officials familiar with the project say these trials will test not only the laser’s ability to track and neutralize drones and incoming threats, but also its endurance, targeting stability, and power management in real oceanic conditions. This is an essential step toward fleet-wide adoption.

This deployment reflects a growing sense of urgency in Japan’s defense establishment. In the face of mounting regional threats from China’s expanding naval presence, North Korea’s missile testing campaigns, and the widespread use of unmanned and hypersonic systems, Japan is investing in next-generation defenses that offer both strategic deterrence and tactical resilience. Laser weapons, capable of engaging targets at the speed of light with virtually unlimited magazine depth and negligible cost-per-shot, are increasingly seen as a necessary countermeasure against massed drone attacks and saturation missile strikes.

Japan’s decision mirrors and responds to parallel developments by two of its key strategic partners: the United States and the United Kingdom. Both nations are accelerating operational integration of naval lasers after years of research and live-fire validation.

United States: Operational deployment with HELIOS and future scalability

The United States Navy remains the clear leader in directed energy deployment. After early experimentation with the 30-kilowatt LaWS (Laser Weapon System) aboard USS Ponce in the Persian Gulf, the Navy has since moved to deploy the more powerful and combat-ready HELIOS (High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance) system developed by Lockheed Martin. Installed aboard the Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Preble (DDG-88), HELIOS is the first U.S. Navy laser weapon fully integrated into the Aegis Combat System, enabling automatic sensor-to-shooter engagement loops.

Rated between 60 and 150 kilowatts, HELIOS has already undergone live tests to neutralize UAVs and simulate engagements against fast-attack boats. Its integration provides a true multi-role capability. Beyond kinetic strikes, it can dazzle incoming surveillance sensors and feed intelligence directly into the ship’s battle network. The U.S. Navy sees this as part of a broader shift toward distributed maritime operations, where lasers, combined with unmanned assets and next-generation electronic warfare systems, will defend surface groups against complex swarm attacks and low-cost aerial incursions.

Additional programs, such as ODIN (Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy) and Layered Laser Defense (LLD), are further enhancing the Navy’s arsenal of scalable directed energy systems. Future versions are targeting 300 kW-class interceptors for anti-ship missile defense.

United Kingdom: DragonFire enters at-sea trials phase

The United Kingdom has also moved quickly into the directed energy domain, led by the DragonFire program, a high-energy laser demonstrator created by a partnership including MBDA, Leonardo UK, and QinetiQ. The DragonFire system has entered shipboard testing aboard a Type 23 frigate, with live drone and boat-target trials anticipated in late 2025. The system’s power range, estimated at 50-100 kilowatts, is designed to be scalable for deployment on the upcoming Type 26 and Type 31 frigates by the early 2030s.

What sets DragonFire apart is its advanced beam control and thermal management systems, specifically engineered for maritime conditions in the North Atlantic and beyond. Its integration with the Royal Navy’s command systems will allow seamless transition from detection to engagement. This is particularly important for protecting task groups in areas such as the Red Sea, Indo-Pacific, and high-risk chokepoints.

Japan’s use of JS Asuka as a dedicated laser weapon trial ship is a calculated choice. By testing first on a purpose-built experimental platform, Japan minimizes risk and accelerates deployment timelines for frontline warships such as the Maya-class Aegis destroyers and Mogami-class multi-mission frigates. Sources inside the Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency (ATLA) indicate that future versions of the laser system may integrate artificial intelligence for autonomous target prioritization and energy management. This capability is critical for responding to swarm attacks in real time.

Tactically, the laser weapon gives the JMSDF a persistent, cost-effective defensive tool that complements Japan’s missile defense capabilities. With increasing drone incursions around Japanese territory and frequent missile launches from North Korea, the need for deep-magazine defenses has never been more urgent. Lasers also allow for flexible escalation, disabling sensors or UAVs non-lethally without crossing conventional red lines or firing kinetic weapons that could trigger conflict.

Around the world, naval forces are pivoting toward laser-based systems not only for their technological promise but because traditional air defense models are no longer sustainable in future conflict environments. Missile interceptors like the SM-2, ESSM, or Sea Ceptor are expensive, finite, and increasingly vulnerable to overwhelming tactics. Laser weapons offer a disruptive alternative. They provide speed-of-light interception, virtually unlimited firing capacity, and integration with modern combat management systems.

Germany has begun laser trials aboard the Sachsen-class frigate Sachsen, with Rheinmetall’s demonstrator leading the charge. France’s Naval Group is advancing research under the ARES program. Israel’s Iron Beam system, while initially designed for land-based missile defense, is now being evaluated for naval deployment aboard Sa’ar-class vessels. South Korea and Australia are investing in similar technologies to defend ships operating in high-threat environments such as the South China Sea and the Sea of Japan.

This new generation of directed energy systems is not designed to replace missiles, but to complement them. Lasers are intended to absorb the drone and loitering munition threat while preserving interceptor inventories for larger, high-value targets such as cruise or ballistic missiles. In high-tempo, multi-domain battles, lasers offer constant readiness, low cost, and minimal collateral damage. This makes them an ideal solution for the demands of 21st-century naval combat.

The installation of a 100kW-class laser weapon aboard the Japanese warship JS Asuka is more than a technological milestone. It represents Japan’s strategic entry into a new era of maritime warfare. As sea trials begin, Japan joins a small but powerful group of naval powers actively weaponizing light to defend against the fastest, smallest, and most numerous threats on the modern battlefield.

With the U.S. Navy fielding integrated systems, the Royal Navy pushing toward deployment readiness, and Japan demonstrating indigenous capability, the directed energy race is no longer about who can build the most powerful laser. It is about who can integrate, scale, and operate these systems across fleets before the next conflict demands it.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.