The Army Enduring High Energy Laser (E-HEL) Program Explained
The U.S. Army is negotiating with AeroVironment to build compact counter-drone lasers under E-HEL. The Army has confirmed the talks, but no award value, quantity or system configuration has been published.
The Army Enduring High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program is the U.S. Army's effort to field compact laser weapons against Group 1 through Group 3 drones, and it could become the Army's first directed-energy program of record. Lt. Gen.
Frank Lozano, the Army's portfolio acquisition executive for Fires, confirmed on July 14, 2026 that the Army was negotiating with AeroVironment. No final award, contract value or quantity had been publicly confirmed in the reporting this page draws on.
What the Army Enduring High Energy Laser Program Is
E-HEL is an Army program to defeat Group 1 through Group 3 drones with high-energy lasers, and it is described as potentially the Army's first directed-energy program of record, according to Army Recognition.
The mission covers two kinds of users. One is semi-fixed positions such as airfields, command posts and logistics areas. The other is maneuver forces that reposition.
The design favors a compact, modular, deployable system over maximum laser power. E-HEL would also integrate with Army sensors and Forward Area Air Defense command-and-control systems.
Who Is Negotiating, and What Is Confirmed
The Army is negotiating with AeroVironment for E-HEL, and Lt. Gen. Frank Lozano confirmed those talks on July 14, 2026. Lozano did not name the specific system under negotiation.
Reporting published on Aug. 4, 2026 said an agreement could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars and cover up to 20 systems. As of Aug. 7, neither the Army nor AeroVironment had publicly confirmed the contract amount, according to WIRED sources cited by Army Recognition.
AeroVironment also demonstrated a capability at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, with Pentagon and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials attending. No test results from that demonstration have been published. The table separates what has been reported from what an official has confirmed.
| Item | Reported | Confirmed? |
|---|---|---|
| Negotiations with AeroVironment | Underway | Yes, by Lt. Gen. Frank Lozano on July 14, 2026 |
| Contract value | Hundreds of millions of dollars (Aug. 4 reporting) | No; unconfirmed by the Army or AeroVironment as of Aug. 7 |
| Quantity | Up to 20 systems | No; 20 was the figure in the original request for information (RFI) |
| System configuration | Linked to AeroVironment's LOCUST X3 | No; the Army has not named it and AeroVironment declined to confirm |
| Demonstration | White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, with Pentagon and FAA officials present | Reported; no test results published |
| E-HEL power class | Not reported | No power class published |
| Fielding date | 2028, per an Oct. 13, 2026 Defense News headline | Not given by Army Recognition |
The LOCUST X3 Question
Army Recognition links E-HEL to AeroVironment's LOCUST X3, but the Army has not confirmed LOCUST X3 as the configuration under negotiation. AeroVironment unveiled LOCUST X3 in March 2026, and it is described as scalable from about 20 kilowatts (kW) to more than 35 kW.
Lozano did not name the system, and AeroVironment declined to confirm the configuration to Breaking Defense. Treat the range of about 20 kW to more than 35 kW as a LOCUST X3 specification. No power class has been published for E-HEL itself.
For context, the Army's earlier DE M-SHORAD effort integrated a 50-kW-class laser on a Stryker. To compare AeroVironment's wider position against a peer, see our AeroVironment vs Kratos comparison.
Where Army Enduring High Energy Laser Systems Would Struggle
Laser weapons carry physical limits, and Army Recognition names several of them. The earlier DE M-SHORAD effort showed one: fitting power generation, cooling, beam control and sensors onto an armored vehicle is difficult.
Weather and battlefield conditions can cut performance. Rain, fog, smoke and dust can all reduce how well the beam works.
A laser generally engages one target at a time rather than a whole formation of drones. Power generation and thermal management limit how quickly it can fire again and again.
Firing near crowded airspace requires strict control of firing geometry. Our directed-energy weapons guide covers these tradeoffs across programs.
What to Verify Before Trusting the Numbers
The reported E-HEL figures, hundreds of millions of dollars and up to 20 systems, are numbers that no official has confirmed. The original request for information referenced up to 20 E-HEL systems. Later acquisition material reportedly listed different quantities, and Army Recognition does not say what they were.
Do not divide the reported value by 20 to get a price per system. Neither input is confirmed, and the final contract could change the quantity, configuration, delivery schedule and value. Price per system is unpublished.
The fielding date is also unconfirmed. A Defense News headline dated Oct. 13, 2026 reads "US Army targets 2028 for first high-energy laser counter-drone weapons," while the Army Recognition report gives no fielding date.
What Would Change This Read
Four developments would turn the current reporting into confirmed program facts.
A signed award that states a contract value and a system quantity would replace the reported hundreds of millions and up to 20 systems.
A named configuration from the Army or AeroVironment would settle whether LOCUST X3 is the E-HEL system, and would give E-HEL a published power class.
An official fielding schedule would confirm or replace the 2028 date in the Defense News headline.
Published test results, including from the White Sands demonstration, would show how the system performs against Group 1 through Group 3 drones. Until one of these appears, follow the Army enduring high energy laser program through the Army Recognition report and our AeroVironment company page.
Drones and UAS FAQs
What is the Army's Enduring High Energy Laser program?
The Enduring High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program is the U.S. Army's effort to field compact laser weapons that defeat Group 1 through Group 3 drones. It is described as potentially the Army's first directed-energy program of record. It would protect semi-fixed positions such as airfields and command posts, plus maneuver forces that reposition.
Who is building the Army's E-HEL laser?
The Army is negotiating with AeroVironment, which Lt. Gen. Frank Lozano confirmed on July 14, 2026. No final award has been publicly confirmed. The Army has not named the system configuration, and AeroVironment declined to confirm whether it is the LOCUST X3.
How many E-HEL systems will the Army buy?
The final quantity has not been published. The original request for information referenced up to 20 systems, and Aug. 4, 2026 reporting repeated that figure. Later acquisition material reportedly listed different quantities, and the final contract could change the number.
Can a laser stop a drone swarm?
A laser generally engages one target at a time rather than a whole formation, according to Army Recognition. Power generation and thermal management also limit how quickly it can fire again. Rain, fog, smoke and dust can reduce performance.
Can I invest in the E-HEL program?
E-HEL is an Army program. The Army is negotiating with AeroVironment, which is publicly traded; see our AeroVironment company page. No contract value has been confirmed.