General Atomics has confirmed the existence of a new airborne laser program being developed for the U.S. military’s fleet of MQ-9 drones.
After Naval News got a first look at a new airborne laser prototype at Sea Air Space 2025 earlier this month, General Atomics has confirmed the existence of a joint program within the Department of Defense that is looking to deliver airborne laser weapons to the MQ-9 fleet currently fielded in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps.
Naval News received confirmation from a General Atomics spokesperson familiar with the matter. The spokesperson confirmed the existence of a program that is looking to add a new air-to-air laser weapon to the MQ-9 family; part of a joint program that is looking to deliver an airborne laser to provide a persistent counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAS) presence to the battlespace.
“General Atomics is developing the airborne laser under a joint program. Its development was inspired by the fact that an airborne laser pod on a MQ-9 aircraft would be an ideal [counter-UAS] solution due to better atmospherics, better environmental conditions and the fact that the targets are slower moving than the MQ-9.”
General Atomics Spokesperson to Naval News
According to General Atomics, core components of the future laser pod have already been tested on airborne platforms. A full test with a flying laser has not been completed but all components have been tested on the ground. General Atomics did not mention when airborne testing would begin.
The spokesperson also confirmed the power level of the laser at 25 kilowatts. The overhead technology used in development of the laser is scalable to 300 kilowatts (kW) but the size constraints imposed by the MQ-9 restrict it to a smaller power level. Battery packs on either wing can power the laser for long durations and act as the buffer between onboard power and the laser itself.
“The anticipated power level is a 25kW-class laser. The basic laser technology is scalable to 300+kW-class but for the MQ-9 we are limited to its payload capacity. Battery packs are used as a buffer between the aircraft power and the laser. A separate pod could be used to house additional battery packs allowing for extended run time of the laser.”
General Atomics Spokesperson to Naval News
According to General Atomics, the MQ-9, when equipped with the airborne laser pod, could provide 24/7 intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) while simultaneously performing C-UAS missions against targets of interest. General Atomics highlighted an example of a mission set like this in the first island chain at its booth at Sea Air Space 2025.
