The US Air Force received high-energy laser weapons that can be carried by aircraft in the form of nacelles. Lockheed Martin reports that similar weapons have been given to the Air Force for testing. Fighters with laser weapons will be able to shoot down enemy missiles and other targets.

Lockheed Martin delivered the LANCE high-energy laser weapon to the Air Force in early 2022. LANCE stands for “Next Generation Laser Developments for Compact Environments”. The buyer of the new weapon is the Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, which is responsible for developing and integrating new technologies in aerospace and cyberspace.

The LANCE is “the smallest, lightest and highest energy laser in its power class Lockheed Martin has ever produced,” said Tyler Griffin, Lockheed’s executive director.

The LANCE is “six times smaller” than Lockheed’s previous directed energy weapons for the military. This early laser was part of the Robust Electric Laser Initiative and had an output power in the 60 kilowatt class.

In addition to being very small and light, the LANCE has lower power requirements than other previous weapons, an important factor for a fighter-based laser.

LANCE continues to develop a more aggressive laser weapon capable of hitting enemy aircraft and drones at greater distances than in the case of a rapidly approaching anti-tank target, an anti-tank missile launched from the ground or from an enemy aircraft.