For centuries, weapons have worked according to a simple idea: to destroy something you have to throw an object at it. Arrows, bullets, artillery shells or missiles. The story of war could be told as a succession of increasingly faster objects. Now that logic is starting to change.
Through a contract with the United States Army, the company Aurelius Systems has announced an alliance to integrate autonomous laser weapons into robotic ground vehicles. The goal is not to destroy tanks or shoot down fighter planes. The enemy is much smaller, much cheaper and much more abundant: drones. The initiative reflects one of the greatest military transformations in recent years. In conflicts such as the Ukrainian war, drones have shown that they can locate enemy positions, correct artillery fire and even destroy vehicles worth millions of euros using devices that cost just a few hundred. The problem is that tearing them down is surprisingly expensive.
A modern anti-aircraft missile can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of euros. A commercial drone modified to carry explosives can cost a fraction of that amount. If the attacker launches a hundred drones, the defense risks being ruined before running out of ammunition. That’s why lasers are back in fashion. Aurelius has developed a system called Archimedes that combines sensorsartificial intelligence and a high-energy laser capable of autonomously detecting, tracking and neutralizing drones. According to the company, the system can operate without constant intervention from a human operator and is designed to form defensive networks capable of protecting infrastructure, convoys or deployed units.
What is truly new is that this system will now be installed on robotic land vehicles. Instead of defending a fixed base, the laser will be able to move alongside troops, escort logistics convoys or protect autonomous vehicles transporting supplies near the front. The advantages are numerous and the first is economic. Once the system is built, each shot essentially costs the electricity needed to generate the laser beam.. While a missile disappears after being launched, a laser can continue firing as long as it has power.
The second is speed. Light travels at about 300,000 kilometers per second. For practical purposes, the shot hits the target instantly. And the last is the ability to confront swarms. If the sensors can detect multiple targets, the system can quickly switch from one drone to another without needing to reload conventional ammunition.
However, lasers still have significant limitations. Rain, fog, dust, smoke or atmospheric turbulence can disperse some of the energy and reduce its effectiveness. Furthermore, to destroy a target it is not enough to “illuminate” it: The beam must remain focused on one point long enough to damage critical components. That is why most experts consider that these weapons will complement traditional systems, rather than replace them.
“The battlefield demands mobility, autonomy and resilience. By integrating autonomous directed energy with robotic combat vehicles, we deliver technologies that multiply force and operate in m environmentstos dangerous, protecting warfighters and improving mission effectiveness – says Michael LaFramboise, CEO of Aurelius Systems -. This alliance promotes a future in which the armed forces can maintain operations in conflict environmentsreduce the risk to combatants and preserve freedom of movement.”