US Navy launches Songbow laser weapon project to counter drones without running out of missiles.

On June 10, 2025, the U.S. Navy awarded a $29,981,651 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to Coherent Aerospace & Defense, located in Murrieta, California, for the Songbow project focused on pulsed fiber lasers and directed energy subsystems with high-bandwidth wavefront control. This effort includes the development of pulsed fiber lasers for illumination and remote sensing, and the creation of a 400-kilowatt laser system through the integration of multiple 50-kilowatt modules into a single beam via a beam-control assembly.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Directed-energy weapons like the Songbow offer a per-shot cost estimated between $1 and $10, and can be operated as long as shipboard fuel supplies generate electrical power. (Picture source: Coherent Aerospace & Defense)

The work is scheduled to be completed by January 2027 and includes a 20-month base period followed by an 11-month and an 18-month option period that may run concurrently. Fiscal Year 2024 Navy research, development, test, and evaluation funds amounting to $12,881,201 have been obligated and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Songbow project could be seen as part of a broader initiative by the U.S. Navy to expand its portfolio of directed-energy capabilities as an alternative to traditional interceptors.

The US Navy has encountered operational limitations during recent deployments, such as those in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden starting in October 2023, where more than 91 projectiles, including drones, cruise missiles, and anti-ship ballistic missiles, were intercepted. These engagements required over 100 Standard Missiles, some valued at up to $4 million each, contributing to an estimated $1 billion in munitions expenditure by April 2024. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro highlighted these costs in testimony before Congress, and senior military leadership, including Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Christopher Grady and Director of Surface Warfare Rear Admiral Fred Pyle, have described the continued reliance on expensive kinetic interceptors as unsustainable. Directed-energy weapons like Songbow offer a per-shot cost estimated between $1 and $10, and can be operated as long as shipboard fuel supplies generate electrical power.

Coherent Aerospace & Defense, the recipient of the Songbow contract, is tasked with developing the 400-kilowatt-class laser system using a combination of four or more 50-kilowatt modules. The company is expected to deliver a complete directed-energy subsystem that includes beam director assemblies and precision optics tailored for naval platforms. The intended output level represents a significant increase from current Navy laser systems, such as the 30-kilowatt LaWS and the 60-kilowatt Helios, the latter of which is fitted to USS Preble and is integrated with the Aegis Combat System. The Songbow system is expected to contribute not only to drone and missile defense but also to auxiliary roles, including remote sensing and target illumination. While its target platform has not been officially confirmed, the system is being developed for both maritime and land-based deployment. Coherent’s background includes the vertically integrated production of lasers, amplifiers, optomechanical subsystems, and optical fibers, with previous work in both defense and commercial sectors supporting the technical requirements of this contract.

The Songbow project complements ongoing Navy programs, including Odin, Helios, and Helcap. Odin is a dazzler system deployed on eight Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, designed to impair ISR drones by blinding optical sensors. It was installed through rapid acquisition to meet operational needs. Helios, which operates at around 60 kilowatts and is scalable to 150 kilowatts, combines ISR capabilities with destructive capacity and is designed for eventual integration with Aegis. The Navy has also initiated the High Energy Laser Counter-ASCM Program (HELCAP), aimed at deploying a 300-kilowatt-class system against anti-ship cruise missiles. Helcap forms part of the broader High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative (HELSI), which involves industry participants such as Lockheed Martin, General Atomics, and nLight/Nutronics. The Layered Laser Defense (LLD) system, another initiative funded by the Office of Naval Research, demonstrated destruction of drones and simulated cruise missiles during testing in 2022 but is not currently slated for deployment. These efforts form the Navy Laser Family of Systems (NFLoS), a framework supporting the integration of multiple laser weapons with varying output and functionality.

Technical obstacles to the fielding of high-energy laser systems such as Songbow include atmospheric distortion, refraction, thermal blooming, and beam jitter. These issues become more pronounced near the sea surface, where evaporation and temperature gradients cause laser refraction. Beam control assemblies and computational correction tools are necessary to maintain accuracy. Earlier systems like MIRACL, which produced megawatt-scale output through chemical processes, were deemed impractical due to toxic exhaust and safety hazards. More recent systems, such as Helios, rely on solid-state fiber lasers that combine multiple wavelengths into a coherent beam. This avoids the need for capacitors and allows continuous operation with variable intensity levels. However, integration with existing platforms like the Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers is limited by available power and cooling capacity, as these ships prioritize electrical output for the AN/SPY-6 radar. The Navy’s next-generation surface combatants are being designed to include expanded power generation to accommodate directed-energy weapons.

The US Navy's interest in scaling up to systems such as Songbow is driven by the need to address the increasing use of unmanned aerial systems and low-cost missile threats. Directed-energy weapons offer the ability to continuously engage multiple targets without the logistical burden of missile resupply. In February 2024, media reports confirmed that more than 100 Standard Missiles had been used in the Red Sea theater, with some targets requiring multiple interceptors per engagement. This usage pattern reinforces the Navy’s stated objective to field cost-effective and scalable defensive options. Other countries have also pursued similar developments. Israel’s Iron Beam, designed for short-range rocket and drone defense, is expected to be operational by the end of 2025. South Korea’s Cheongwang Block I and Japan’s 10-kW High-Power Laser EW Vehicle entered service in 2024. India is testing systems such as the Mk-II (A) DEW with outputs up to 30 kilowatts, and the Surya system reportedly aims for 300 kilowatts. Ukraine has used mobile laser systems like Tryzub and SlimBean during the ongoing conflict, while Russia and China continue experimental work with systems like Peresvet and Silent Hunter.

The use of laser weapons is not limited to kinetic destruction. Dazzlers, such as Odin and Light Blade, are used to disorient sensors and impair targeting systems. These non-lethal systems are not prohibited under international law if their effects are temporary. The PHASR rifle and similar systems employ dual-wavelength lasers to induce temporary blindness without violating the Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons. Despite many attempts since the 1980s to deploy operational high-power lasers, most systems have remained experimental or were canceled due to cost, toxicity, or lack of battlefield viability. The Strategic Defense Initiative in the 1980s explored concepts such as space-based X-ray lasers, but encountered limitations due to atmospheric scattering and the complexity of sustaining high-power optical systems over long ranges. Programs like the YAL-1 Airborne Laser and Tactical High Energy Laser were ultimately discontinued after limited success and high development costs. Songbow represents a continuation of the Navy's long-standing interest in transitioning directed-energy technology from laboratory testing to operational capability, with a focus on scalability, integration, and cost-per-engagement reduction.