Electro Optic Systems (EOS) has secured a €71.4 million ($125 million) contract to deliver a 100-kilowatt laser weapon system to a European NATO member state, marking the first confirmed export of a high-power directed energy weapon. This milestone deal highlights the rising demand for advanced counter-drone capabilities across the global defense landscape.
First Export of High-Power Directed Energy System
The agreement includes the delivery of the laser weapon system, spare parts, operator training, and complete technical documentation. Deliveries will begin in 2025 and continue through 2028, with the systems manufactured at EOS’s dedicated facility in Singapore.
Precision Weapon Against Drone Swarms
The laser system was developed over a span of three years and is engineered to neutralize drone swarms and other low-cost aerial threats. It combines radar, real-time threat detection, target acquisition, and beam-locking technology to enable precise and efficient engagement.
EOS’s entry into laser-based defense builds upon its existing portfolio of kinetic counter-UAS systems. The new capability offers a low-cost-per-engagement, ammunition-free, and rapid-response solution—ideal for extended operations in dynamic environments.
Combat-Tested and Field-Ready
The laser weapon system has successfully passed a series of rigorous field tests and live-fire evaluations. Insights gathered from military trials were incorporated into the final design to enhance operational speed, targeting accuracy, and overall system reliability in battlefield conditions.
Strategic Leap for EOS in Global Defense Market
EOS described the contract as a “strategic breakthrough,” significantly advancing its position in the emerging directed energy weapons sector. As drone threats continue to escalate globally, militaries are increasingly prioritizing agile and scalable defense technologies.
Unlike traditional missile systems, high-energy lasers can engage multiple airborne targets in quick succession, eliminating the need for physical ammunition and reducing logistical burdens.
Muhammad Mudassir
Muhammad Mudassir is a student of Defence and Strategic Studies at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. His areas of interest include defence analysis, strategic research, and geopolitical studies.
