New Mexico company AV Inc develops laser technology to counter drones
Kurt Warden tests a new anti-drone laser system for AV Inc. near New Mexico Tech. The company aims to counter low-cost unmanned aerial systems altering modern battlefields.
Warden serves as the senior technical director for high energy lasers at the business. Engineers and drone pilots operate the tests on a barren strip in New Mexico.
Warden addressed common misconceptions about the basic mechanics of laser systems.
“That’s the first misconception that people have is. What is a laser? What does it do differently than a bullet or something? I liken it to having a blowtorch, except you can use that blowtorch at a very long distance. So when you go after targets, you’re not vaporizing them. You’re burning them and you’re cutting them,” Warden said.
Older high energy lasers relied on chemicals to produce beams. Those older chemical systems carried frequent dangers. Modern units now run on electricity.
The firm built the Locust, which uses electric lasers with a smaller footprint. The proprietary system applies multiple algorithms to target and disable drones. They face targets unlike older intercontinental ballistic missiles.
In early September, the company secured a contract worth over $450 million. The deal with the U.S. Army covers their Enduring-High Energy Laser, or E-HEL.
Warden said built-in safeties and algorithms keep the weapons focused on their intended tasks.
“They can hurt people. They can damage equipment like any other weapon. But if they’re handled with care and you continue to use them with the safeties that are built in, they can be a very, very highly effective tool,” Warden said.
Former National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster told Forbes the world entered a new warfare era. Ukraine headlines show weaponized unmanned systems reshaping conflicts.
General Gregory Guillot of the U.S. Northern Command testified to Congress in March 2024. Nearly 1,000 drones flew across the U.S.-Mexico border monthly, Guillot said. News Nation reported a 75% drop in border cartel drones following Locust deployments.
High energy laser weapons focus directed beams of light to damage remote targets. Military defense contractors evaluate these systems on specialized desert ranges across New Mexico.
Crews continue testing the units against aerial threats under active field conditions.
