The US Navy's top admiral says lasers are key to keeping cheap drones from eating into warship missile magazines

The US Navy's chief of naval operations, Adm. Daryl Caudle, has emphasized the importance of laser weapons in countering the threat posed by cheap drones. In an op-ed for The Washington Post, Caudle argued that the high cost of interceptor missiles makes them unsustainable for neutralizing inexpensive drones, which can quickly pressure even advanced air and missile defenses.

Recent conflicts, such as the US Navy's involvement in the Yemen conflict from October 2023 to May 2025, have highlighted the strain on stocks when top interceptors are used to combat drone threats. Caudle pointed out that laser and directed-energy weapons could offer a more cost-effective solution, preserving limited and expensive interceptor missiles for higher-end threats.

However, he cautioned that laser weaponry is not a magic solution and has limitations, such as being line-of-sight and dependent on power, cooling, and shipboard systems. Caudle emphasized that lasers should be part of a layered defense strategy, complementing existing interceptor missiles rather than replacing them. He stressed the need for incremental development of laser weapons, starting with manageable, self-contained systems on ships rather than waiting for perfect megawatt-class systems.

The Navy has been testing laser weapons for years, with successful demonstrations using the Laser Weapon System on the USS Ponce and the SSL-TM on the USS Portland. Additionally, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Preble is equipped with the HELIOS laser system, and some other destroyers are equipped with the ODIN system. Other services have also explored the use of lasers, with the US Army successfully eliminating three drug cartel-linked drones using an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser at the southern US border.