High-energy laser systems to get production boost with new agreement

Attalon is helping enable the reliability, maintainability, and production readiness required to field high-energy laser capabilities at scale.Attalon Two companies have executed a long term agreement to support the production of mission ready high-energy laser systems. AeroVironment executed a long-term agreement (LTA) with Attalon for the delivery of Attalon’s Valaris high-energy laser platform across AeroVironment’s expanding portfolio of high-energy laser programs. Engineered to neutralize pressing drone threats “Through this LTA, AV is proactively scaling our LOCUST production capabilities ahead of immediate demand, ensuring our defensive technologies are ready before the need arises,” said Mary Clum, AV’s president of Space, Cyber, and Directed Energy. “Attalon’s Valaris S beam-combining laser subsystem is central to this effort, supporting robust manufacturing as we advance a sophisticated new class of defense capabilities. This technology is strategically engineered to neutralize today’s pressing drone threats while maintaining the inherent flexibility required to adapt to tomorrow’s complex missions.”The long-term agreement supports AeroVironment’s LOCUST and broader high-energy laser product line as demand for deployable directed energy capabilities continues to grow. Attalon delivers the mission-ready laser subsystems needed to help AeroVironment scale high-energy laser systems from development and demonstration into sustained operational use. Backed by field-proven technologies, scalable U.S. manufacturing, and innovations like kWIC Disconnect, Attalon is helping enable the reliability, maintainability, and production readiness required to field high-energy laser capabilities at scale, according to a press release. Growing high-energy laser product line To support the long-term agreement and AeroVironment’s growing high-energy laser product line, Attalon is investing $15 million to expand production capacity, grow its skilled workforce, and add capital equipment. The investment is designed to increase manufacturing readiness and throughput as demand for fielded high-energy laser systems continues to scale, as per the release.“Every defense technology reaches a moment where breakthrough performance alone is no longer enough,” said John Bergeron, Chief Executive Officer of Attalon. “The defining challenge becomes delivering that capability at production scale while ensuring it can be sustained throughout its service life. Directed energy has reached that moment. That conviction is what drives Valaris—a platform built on field-proven beam combining laser technologies and engineered to help customers transition from development to production with confidence.” Field-proven laser technologies with the manufacturing scalability Attalon revealed that the Valaris high-energy laser platform brings together field-proven laser technologies with the manufacturing scalability, maintainability, and mission-ready performance required for production high-energy laser systems. Incorporating innovations such as kWIC Disconnect, Valaris is engineered to enable faster sustainment, greater operational availability, and the reliable laser capability demanded by today’s evolving battlefield. New deal reinforces Attalon’s role in delivering mission-ready laser subsystems The new deal reinforces Attalon’s role in delivering mission-ready laser subsystems for advanced directed energy platforms, including AeroVironment’s LOCUST and high-energy laser product line. By combining field-proven laser technologies with scalable U.S. manufacturing and continuous innovation, Attalon is helping accelerate the fielding of production-ready directed energy capabilities while strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base and delivering the performance, resilience, and sustainment today’s warfighter demands.Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Prabhat, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, is a tech and defense journalist. While he enjoys writing on modern weapons and emerging tech, he has also reported on global politics and business. He has been previously associated with well-known media houses, including the International Business Times (Singapore Edition) and ANI.