The U.S. Navy has spent six months restoring the 150 kilowatt Solid State Laser Technology Maturation (SSL-TM) demonstrator for military exercises. This system, originally installed on the USS Portland in 2019, aims to address capability gaps against threats like drones and explosive-laden small boats. The SSL-TM successfully destroyed a drone in 2020 and neutralized a small surface target in 2021, demonstrating its effectiveness in real-world scenarios. The restoration efforts were conducted at the Directed Energy Systems Integration Laboratory in California.
"The SSL-TM demonstrator was designed to provide a new capability to the Fleet to address known capability gaps against asymmetric threats like aerial drones and small boats laden with explosives."
"The system successfully destroyed a drone target during at-sea testing in the Gulf of Aden in May 2020, yielding one of the most vivid representations of a real-world laser weapon in action."
"The restoration of critical functions to the SSL-TM demonstrator began in early March 2025, as part of the Navy's efforts to enhance its directed energy capabilities."
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