How to Scale Up U.S. Military Laser Weapons: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

The U.S. Department of Defense has made it clear: it’s time to build directed energy weapons, such as high-energy lasers, at scale. In a posture statement for fiscal year 2027, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth outlined a plan to acquire “tens to hundreds” of these systems, moving beyond limited prototypes. But the path from prototype to mass production is fraught with challenges—outdated procurement processes, insufficient manufacturing capacity, and institutional inertia. This step-by-step guide will show you how the U.S. military and its industrial partners can meet this demand, transforming a decades-old ambition into battlefield reality.

What You Need

• A clear and consistent demand signal from senior leadership (e.g., the Pentagon committing to purchase “tens to hundreds” of units).
• A reformed acquisition mindset that prioritizes speed and flexibility over “business as usual.”
• New concepts of operation (CONOPS) for deploying laser weapons in real-world scenarios.
• Comprehensive training programs for warfighters and support personnel.
• Robust support infrastructure including maintenance, logistics, and test facilities.
• Investment in supply chains and manufacturing to scale production.
• Overcoming institutional inertia through leadership and cultural change.

Step 1: Establish a Strong Demand Signal

Without a reliable purchasing commitment, the defense industrial base (DIB) cannot invest in the factories, tooling, and workforce needed to produce directed energy weapons at scale. As Hegseth stated, the Pentagon must create “a strong and consistent demand signal” for “tens to hundreds” of units. This means moving beyond aspirational statements (like “a laser on every ship”) and issuing concrete contracts with multiyear procurement plans. Action: The Department of Defense should announce firm quantity targets and funding streams for the next five to ten years, giving industry the confidence to ramp up production capacity.

Step 2: Reform Procurement Processes

The current acquisition system is designed for conventional weapons, not for rapidly evolving directed energy technologies. To avoid delays and cost overruns, the Pentagon must adopt streamlined approaches such as agile development, Other Transaction Authority (OTA), and rapid prototyping. Action: Establish a dedicated program office for directed energy weapons with the authority to bypass traditional milestones, use commercial best practices, and field systems in incremental upgrades. This “reform the acquisition mindset” is essential to demystify lasers and accelerate fielding.

Step 3: Develop New Concepts of Operation

Lasers work differently than bullets or missiles—they require continuous power, precise targeting, and careful atmospheric management. Battlefield commanders need fresh tactics to integrate them effectively. Action: Conduct war games and field experiments to develop CONOPS for engaging drones, missiles, and other threats. Capture lessons learned and share them across all services. This step ensures that when lasers reach the field, they are used optimally rather than treated as a novelty.

Step 4: Train the Force

A new weapon demands new skills. Warfighters must learn to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot laser systems, while support teams need expertise in optics, high-power electronics, and thermal management. Action: Create dedicated training programs at existing centers (e.g., Fort Sill’s Fires Center of Excellence) and embed instructors in units that receive early laser prototypes. Use simulators and virtual reality to reduce costs and accelerate skill acquisition. Training must be continuous, as laser technology evolves.

Step 5: Build Support Infrastructure

Laser weapons are not “drop-in” replacements for guns. They require high-power electrical systems, cooling equipment, and specialized diagnostic tools. Bases and ships need upgraded power grids, maintenance bays, and storage facilities. Action: Invest in standardized power interfaces, mobile cooling units, and modular laser modules that can be swapped out quickly. Develop a logistics pipeline for spare parts, including laser diodes, optics, and thermal management components. Partner with the U.S. Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) and the Navy’s Directed Energy and Electric Weapon Systems program to coordinate infrastructure upgrades.

Step 6: Overcome Institutional Inertia

The biggest barrier to scaling directed energy weapons is cultural resistance. Decades of false starts have bred skepticism, and legacy programs often crowd out new initiatives. Overcoming “business as usual” requires top-down leadership and bottom-up champions. Action: Assign a senior official (e.g., a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Directed Energy) with authority to cut red tape. Reward program managers who take calculated risks. Publish success stories and metrics that show progress, such as shooting down drones in tests or reducing cost per shot. This step ensures that the entire organization embraces the new technology.

Tips for Success

• Start small, scale fast: Use prototypes to prove reliability, then ramp up manufacturing in batches. Avoid trying to build a thousand lasers at once.
• Foster public-private partnerships: Collaborate with commercial laser companies (e.g., Lockheed Martin, nLight) to leverage their R&D and manufacturing expertise.
• Maintain pressure: Demand signals must be updated annually. If Congress cuts funding, the industrial base will stall. Keep consistent.
• Invest in basic research: High-energy lasers still face challenges with beam quality, atmospheric distortion, and thermal management. Fund long-term science.
• Iterate with warfighters: Let soldiers and sailors test early systems and provide feedback. Their insights will improve designs more than any lab study.
• Plan for sustainment: A laser weapon must last 10–20 years. Build a lifecycle cost model upfront, including upgrades and obsolescence management.

By following these steps, the Department of Defense can turn Secretary Hegseth’s vision into reality. The technology is ready; now it’s time for the institutions to catch up. Build fast, build smart, and build together.