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Defense

Pentagon's Laser Weapon Contracts for Drone Defense Open a New Revenue Line for Northrop and L3Harris

Directed-energy awards signal the military is finally writing real checks for high-energy laser systems — not just research grants.

Image: Money Racket
By at Money Racket·Jul 17, 2026

The Pentagon awarded contracts for laser weapons systems designed to shoot down drone swarms, according to DefenseScoop. The awards mark a shift from prototype funding to procurement-stage contracts, reflecting lessons absorbed from drone-heavy conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The Pentagon is moving laser weapons from science project to procurement line item — and Northrop Grumman has the most to gain.

Who cashes in: Northrop Grumman NOC has the most mature high-energy laser program in the U.S. defense industrial base, including its HELIOS system already deployed on Navy destroyers. Procurement-stage laser contracts are a direct expansion of that franchise. L3Harris Technologies LHX has directed-energy programs and counter-drone systems that fit squarely in this award category. Raytheon / RTX RTX has the High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS competitor) and counter-UAS work that makes it a likely awardee or subcontractor. For smaller names, Kratos Defense KTOS builds drone targets and counter-drone systems and benefits from any acceleration in the counter-UAS budget line.

Who's exposed: Traditional kinetic interceptor makers face a slow substitution threat. Aerojet Rocketdyne / L3Harris missile programs and Raytheon's Stinger and Coyote interceptors aren't replaced overnight, but every laser contract is a dollar that doesn't go to a missile. The transition is slow — years, not quarters — but the direction is clear.

What to watch: Contract dollar sizes and whether awards go to prime contractors directly or to smaller directed-energy specialists. A large sole-source award to Northrop would be the clearest confirmation.

Source: original report ↗

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