The destroyer Preble successfully test-fired its HELIOS system on a drone target, according to a recently released report.

The U.S. Navy’s High Energy Laser and Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system faced its first airborne target during a test in 2024, a first-time for the HELIOS program that will help the U.S. Navy inform other programs under the Directed Energy and Electric Weapon System effort.

The American Navy has released a new photo of the USS Preble, highlighting its new capabilities. This photo features the HELIOS system, a state-of-the-art laser weapon. The USS Preble, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer,