Laser Wars: Pulse

Pulse #012: America’s Laser Dome Rises on the Border

Jared Keller — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 13:30:43 GMT

An Army Multi-Purpose High-Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) system stands guard on the US-Mexico border in late August. (US Defense Department photo)

Welcome to Pulse, a regular digest of updates from around the directed energy ecosystem. In this edition: the Army releases footage of laser weapons operating at the US-Mexico border, a video supercut of Trump praising laser weapons, a Pentagon fix for a looming laser weapon supply chain problem, and more.

Pulse #011: US Military Laser Weapons Are ‘in the Fight’ in the Middle East

Jared Keller — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 15:45:45 GMT

A Compact Laser Weapon System (CLAWS) during testing in the US Central Command area of operations. (Boeing)

Welcome to Pulse, a regular digest of updates from around the directed energy ecosystem. In this edition: US military laser weapons are apparently watching over American troops in the Middle East, the Pentagon’s Joint Laser Weapon System gets a target fielding date, a mystery international customer for AV’s LOCUST, and more.

Pulse #010: Hot Laser Summer (And What Comes Next)

Jared Keller — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 13:31:11 GMT

The US Army’s Enduring High Energy Laser (E-HEL) weapon system. (US Army photo)

Welcome to Pulse, a regular digest of updates from around the directed energy ecosystem. In this week’s edition: a peek at the Pentagon’s new directed energy roadmap, the coming season of Navy laser content, a new Russian laser weapon breaks cover, and more.

Pulse #009: Teamwork Makes the Beam Work

Jared Keller — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:16:12 GMT

Japan’s 10 kilowatt “Vehicle-Mounted High-Power Laser Demonstration Device.” in an undated photo. (Japanese Ministry of Defense)

Welcome to Pulse, a regular digest of updates from around the directed energy ecosystem. In this week’s edition: Australia and Japan form a laser alliance, the Pentagon lays out a fast lane for directed energy weapons, a peek at Germany’s ‘laserdome,’ and more.

Pulse #008: A Secretive Pentagon Laser Weapon Test

Jared Keller — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 13:30:45 GMT

US Army soldiers conduct night fire training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina April 24, 2026. (US Army National Guard photo)

Welcome to Pulse, a regular digest of updates from around the directed energy ecosystem. In this week’s edition: the US military’s secretive laser weapon test, the remaining challenges to fielding directed energy weapon at scale, American space lasers, and more.

Pulse #007: Israel's Iron Beam Hits a Wall

Jared Keller — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:31:10 GMT

Israel’s Iron Beam laser weapon. (Israel Defense Ministry)

Welcome to Pulse, a regular digest of updates from around the directed energy ecosystem. In this week’s edition: Israel’s Iron Beam still isn’t operational, directed energy weapons will watch over US nuclear convoys, a laser weapon supply chain warning, and more.

Pulse #006: The Air Force Deploys Laser Weapons Overseas

Jared Keller — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:30:20 GMT

Boeing’s Compact Laser Weapon System (CLaWS) during testing in 2024. (Boeing)

Welcome to Pulse, a regular digest of updates from around the directed energy ecosystem. Apologies for the gap in editions — I have been traveling for the last few weeks. Feel free to send feedback using the button below:

In this week’s edition: the US Air Force sends laser weapons abroad to counter drone threats, Ukraine’s laser weapons inch toward combat, two small steps forward for the global laser weapon industrial base, and more.

Pulse #005: Here Comes Israel's Space Laser

Jared Keller — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:31:15 GMT

The sodium laser guide star projects into the night sky from the Advanced Electro-Optical System telescope, a 3.6-meter telescope, at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex atop Haleakalā, Hawaii on June 9, 2026. (US Space Force photo)

Welcome to Pulse, a regular digest of updates from around the directed energy ecosystem. In this week’s edition: Israel’s spaceborne laser ambitions, the UK ramps up directed energy funding, the Netherlands takes a two-track approach to laser weapons, and more.

Pulse #004: Notes on Pete Hegseth's Laser Show

Jared Keller — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:31:19 GMT

(Laser Wars photo illustration/US Defense Department photo)

Welcome to Pulse, a regular digest of updates from around the directed energy ecosystem. In this week’s edition: extra details from the Laser Wars exclusive on the US military’s latest directed energy demonstration, the UK wants to shrink DragonFire, China’s debuts a man-portable laser weapon, and more.

Pulse #003: The Return of the CLaWS

Jared Keller — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:25:38 GMT

The Compact Laser Weapon System (CLaWS) in an undated photo. (Boeing)

In this week’s edition of Pulse: The Navy teaches an old laser weapon a new trick, EOS signs a laser weapon contract with the UAE, fresh details on Elbit’s airborne laser efforts, and more.

Pulse #002: The Lasercopter Cometh

Jared Keller — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:21:03 GMT

An Elbit Systems rendering of a helicopter-mounted ‘Sting’ high-energy laser weapon engaging a target. (Elbit Systems)

Editor’s note: There is officially more laser weapon news than I have time to devote individual newsletters to! To ensure Laser Wars readers remain up to date, I’m launching Pulse, a regular digest of updates from around the directed energy ecosystem.

In this week’s edition: Israel’s laser-armed helicopter is closer than you think, Turkey’s chief laser weapon gets a starring role in the Steel Dome, new laser weapons break cover at the 2026 ILA Berlin Air Show, and more.

Pulse #001: The Pentagon Is Still Dreaming of Space-Based Laser Weapons

Jared Keller — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:31:45 GMT

A 1985 artist's concept of a space-based laser satellite defense system. (US National Archives and Records Administration)

In this week’s edition: The US Defense Department’s dream of ‘Star Wars’-style space lasers lives on, South Korea announces a major laser weapon breakthrough, the Pentagon assesses a 'laser shield,’ and more.