The US has deployed a light weapon-equipped warship to Japan, a proper, cutting-edge show of force amid rising hostilities with China.
This month, South China Morning Post (SCMP ) reported that the USS Preble, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer equipped with the advanced High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance ( HELIOS ) laser weapon, has been forward-deployed to Japan’s Yokosuka naval base south of Tokyo.
The Preble is set to perform assessments of its HELIOS system—a high-energy light with integrated visual dazzler and surveillance—during its Pacific cross, according to the SCMP statement. By positioning its most effective units in the region, the rollout demonstrates US commitment to Japan’s protection and registers China’s growing maritime dominance.
The US Navy’s Navigation Plan 2024, which for the first day acknowledges the possibility of conflict with China by 2027, coincides with the implementation of the USS Preble, according to the SCMP report.
The 30-page report from Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti outlines two of the US’s top goals: boosting the US Navy’s role in the broader US shared battle technique and improving marine readiness.
The strategy emphasizes the importance of multi-domain activities and technological developments, as well as addressing repair backlogs, increasing the use of mechanical and autonomous systems, improving recruitment and retention of sailors, and strengthening system.
The plan aims to improve readiness and abilities of the US Navy by utilizing AI, robotics, and distributed coastal operations. It emphasizes the necessity to create for high-end fight and face challenges in the future.
A potent, scalable laser combined with optical dazzling and surveillance capabilities makes Lockheed Martin’s HELIOS a high-energy laser weapon system designed to combat unmanned aerial systems ( UAS ), small boats, and other threats.
According to Lockheed Martin, HELIOS aims to provide a 60-120-watt laser defense against underwater threats at a reasonable, adaptable, and accurate price. The US defense company claims that HELIOS’ integration with existing deliver systems facilitates smooth operation and improved contextual consciousness.
Aside from HELIOS, an August 2024 US Congressional Research Service ( CRS ) report mentions other US laser weapons projects, including the Solid State Laser Technology Maturation ( SSL-TM), Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy ( ODIN), Layered Laser Defense ( LLD ), and the High Energy Laser Counter-ASCM Program ( HELCAP ).
The War Zone notes in a December 2019 content that the SSL-TM weapons, now mounted on the USS Portland testbed, is a high-power 150-kilowatt light that shot down a helicopter during a 2020 evaluation and hit a boat in a 2021 test.
In a July 2022 Proceedings article, Brian O’Rourke points out that ODIN is meant to shield US ships from harassment by unmanned aerial systems ( UASs ). According to Defense One, eight US ships were armed with the ODIN light as of August 2024.
Naval News mentions in an April 2024 article that HELCAP, designed to defeat anti-ship cruise missiles ( ASCM) in a crossing flight path instead of missiles shot directly at a defending ship, is still under development. LCSs from the US Navy are also being developed and tested for the LLD.
According to the CRS report, the US Navy’s ship lasers face challenges in terms of technical limitations and success in adverse weather conditions. They have largely unlimited weapons supply and a significant cost advantage over anti-air missiles.
The US is not the only country using laser-armed ships. Asia Times reported in August 2024 that China has tremendously increased its maritime capabilities by installing a new light weapons program in its Model 071 marine transport dock, perhaps the Siming Shan.
Similar to US efforts, such as placing HELIOS aboard the USS Preble and other countries attempting to erect directed energy weapons on their warships.
China’s laser system, details of which remain undisclosed, is expected to enhance defense against unmanned aircraft and small boat swarms, potentially including dazzler capabilities to blind sensors and seekers.
China has already engaged in laser warfare, most recently in a standoff with Philippine forces in the South China Sea in February 2024, when a laser blast temporarily blinds Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel aboard the BRP Malapascua.
However, despite these advancements, the US faces significant hurdles in making laser weapons a standard part of its warship’s armaments.
The US Navy faces significant difficulties in developing and deploying laser weapons for shipboard defense, according to Asia Times in January 2024.
Despite being hailed as the future of missile and drone defense, laser weapons have not been used by the US and its allies to combat Houthi drones and missiles in the Red Sea. Laser weapons projects have a tendency to deliver on time while overpromising.
Physical limitations, power requirements, and cooling requirements have all hampered the development of laser weapons. Meanwhile, the maxed-out Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are running out of space for upgrades, complicating the integration of new technologies like laser weapons.
The US Navy’s aging Ticonderoga-class cruisers are well past their planned service lives and, considering their age and limited combat capability, may not be worth upgrading with laser weapons.
The idea of putting so much capability in a few potentially vulnerable ships is a strategic concern, despite the announcement of the new DDG-X to replace Arleigh Burke and Ticonderoga ships ‘ promises of more real estate for laser weapons and their required subsystems.
Indeed, despite advancements in solid-state laser technology, the US Navy lacks a strategic plan for the widespread adoption of laser weapons.
Technological and maintenance issues, along with limited manufacturers for sensitive components, have reportedly plagued development programs. Progress has also been hampered by the insufficient commercial space for lasers with sufficient power.
The US Navy’s Navigation Plan 2024 is being criticized by Asia Times for having lagging shipbuilding and maintenance capabilities and having inflexible, centralized kill chains, which could expose flaws in a potential conflict.
The US Navy integrates AI and robotics to maintain its position of authority, but it struggles with skilled labor shortages and outdated procurement practices that emphasize large, high-cost warships, which prevent it from expanding its fleet.
To expand its fleet, the US is developing low-cost, autonomous drone boats to improve maritime capabilities in the Taiwan Strait. However, vulnerability to electronic warfare and cyberattacks, alongside a weak US drone manufacturing base and reliance on Chinese components, poses challenges to the effectiveness of these systems.