$5 a shot vs. $4M a shot: AeroVironment’s LOCUST X3 laser makes battlefield math easy

It’s simple battlefield math but not quite 1+1=2. 

It’s more like a $50,000 drone>$30 million aircraft and a $4 million missile shot<the $50,000 drone.

Enter the economics of AeroVironment: A $5 laser shot<$4 million missile shot, therefore the $5 laser shot>the $50,000 drone.

This cutting-edge development by the Huntsville company was showcased this week at the AUSA Global Force Symposium and Exhibition.

AeroVironment announced the release of LOCUST (Laser Optical Counter-UAS System for Tactical use) X3, the third generation of its high-energy laser weapon system that delivers precise engagement to rapidly defeat unmanned aerial threats at the speed of light. 

As we all did in middle school math, AV “showed its work:” 

1. A $50,000 drone can destroy a $30 million aircraft, but it takes a $2 million missile to destroy a drone.
2. A Patriot missile battery costs about $1 billion to procure one system. Each missile costs about $4 million a shot.
3. A LOCUST base unit costs roughly $8 million and can be stationary or installed in the back of a truck. The laser cost is less than $5 a shot. In most cases about $3 a shot.

The LOCUST X3 builds on lessons learned from widely deployed systems to set a standard in modular, AI-enabled drone defense – delivering unprecedented precision, scalability, and operational flexibility to defeat current and emerging aerial threats, including Group 1-3 unmanned aircraft systems and unmanned surface vehicles, the company said.

  

The system handles long-range threats by tracking enemy drones up to seven miles away, according to John Garrity, vice president of AV’s Directed Energy business unit.

An operator locks in on the drone using an ordinary X-Box controller. From there, the laser uses artificial intelligence to track the drone as it approaches.  

“That’s the beauty of a laser weapon system, that ability to track and take that overhead burden off of the operator,” Garrity said. “With LOCUST’s target acquisition, tracking and precision beam control, warfighters have an easy-to-use, reliable, trusted, and proven solution against the very real and evolving threats of modern warfare.” 

Not only do the economics add up, but the LOCUST X3 provides sustained defense without the reload limitations of traditional defense systems – a transformative solution for modern air defense.  

“In today’s rapidly evolving battlespace, adversaries are deploying mass drone attacks and saturation tactics that threaten mission success and warfighter survivability,” said Wahid Nawabi, chairman, president, and CEO. “With LOCUST X3, we deliver an affordable, scalable solution to outpace and neutralize large-scale aerial threats, safeguard critical infrastructure, and maintain decisive advantage wherever the fight demands.”

 

The system features a scalable 20-  to 35-kilowatt laser, a modular beam director, and advanced AI-enabled detection, tracking, and engagement automation. 

The platform is built on an architecture aligned with the Department of Defense’s Modular Open Systems Approach, enabling faster upgrades and integration across a range of systems. LOCUST X3 builds on the proven legacy of the LOCUST platform, which has been fielded through the Army Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser and Palletized High Energy Laser programs. It has been used on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and the Infantry Squad Vehicle.  

“LOCUST X3 transforms how defenders respond to the challenge of massed drone attacks,” said Mary Clum, president of AV’s Space, Cyber & Directed Energy segment. “Its modular design and advanced AI allow for resilient, adaptive protection of critical assets – on any platform, at the tactical edge or at fixed sites. 

“With LOCUST X3, operators can now counter high-volume threats with unmatched speed, precision, and affordability.”