The undated image shows the U.S. Navy testing a weapon system known as HELIOS from the USS Preble destroyer in the middle of the ocean.

The U.S. Navy has developed a directed-energy weapon that can intercept unmanned drones and possibly cruise missiles while enhancing naval operations in combat areas.

In the vast expanse of the ocean, a streak of white light pierces the sky. It’s not a natural phenomenon, but a weapon — a high-energy laser fired from the deck of a U.S. Navy destroyer. This is HELIOS, the High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance, and it represents a bold step into the future of military technology.

The Navy has disclosed that the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Preble successfully test-fired its High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system to take out an aerial target drone in Fiscal Year 2024.

The U.S. Navy has revealed that it tested out its High Energy Laser and Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) by shooting an aerial target