AV Delivers JLTV-Mounted LOCUST Laser Weapon Systems to U.S. Army

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AV Delivers JLTV-Mounted LOCUST Laser Weapon Systems to U.S. Army

2025-12-18 22:10 Last Updated At：22:40

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 18, 2025--

AeroVironment, Inc. (“AV”) (NASDAQ: AVAV), a leading provider of counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) technologies, today announced the successful delivery of two Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)-mounted mobile C-UAS Laser Weapon Systems (LWS) to the U.S. Army as part of the second increment of the Army Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) prototyping effort. These systems were delivered to the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO), now integrated into the Portfolio Acquisition Executive Fires, reflecting the Army’s ongoing transformation and acquisition reform efforts.

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In September, AV announced delivery of the first increment of AMP-HEL prototype systems–two LOCUST LWS integrated on the General Motors Defense Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) platform. This second-increment system on the Oshkosh JLTV platform features the same 20kW-class LOCUST LWS with a larger aperture beam director, improving lethality performance.

“AV continues to deliver proven, efficient, modular laser weapon systems that perform and protect in real-world threat environments,” said Mary Clum, President, Space, Cyber & Directed Energy for AV. “Integrated as part of these AMP-HEL systems, LOCUST is a cost-effective, rugged, precise, and scalable solution that is addressing the ever-evolving UAS threats our warfighters are facing on frontlines today. With the technology proven, we remain focused on advancing capabilities while scaling manufacturing to meet the growing demand.”

AV delivered its first LOCUST LWS to RCCTO as part of the Palletized-High Energy Laser (P-HEL) program in 2022. With more than three years of operational deployment outside the United States, these state-of-the-art LWS have demonstrated exceedingly high operational availability rates for prototype systems after first generation lessons learned informed necessary improvements now supporting current technology development efforts. During these deployments, the LOCUST-equipped P-HEL systems, now integrated on AMP-HEL, have performed their designed mission against UAS threats in real world combat.

“Directed energy is no longer a future concept—it is a proven force-protection capability,” said John Garrity, Vice President of AV’s Directed Energy business unit. “Since deployed, LOCUST-equipped P-HEL systems have actively protected warfighters, allies, and critical infrastructure against aerial threats. 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.”

Designed to be platform-agnostic and rapidly deployable, AV’s directed-energy systems integrate seamlessly with Army command-and-control architectures, providing a critical C-UAS capability that protects Soldiers and assets across a wide range of missions and environments. These systems have been successfully integrated in fixed-site base defense systems and on maneuverable platforms, including the ISV and JLTV, and mounted on the Light Medium Tactical Vehicle for increased mobility.

About AV

AV (NASDAQ: AVAV) is a defense technology leader delivering integrated capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. The Company develops and deploys autonomous systems, loitering munitions, counter-UAS technologies, space-based platforms, directed energy systems, and cyber and electronic warfare capabilities—built to meet the mission needs of today’s warfighter and tomorrow’s conflicts. At the core of these technologies lies AV_Halo, a modular, mission-ready suite of AI-powered software tools that empowers warfighters and enables full-battlefield dominance: detect, decide, deliver. With a national manufacturing footprint and a deep innovation pipeline, AV delivers proven systems and future-defining capabilities at speed, scale, and operational relevance. For more information, visit www.avinc.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to, our ability to perform under existing contracts and obtain new ones; regulatory changes; competitor activities; market growth; product development challenges; and general economic conditions. For a more detailed discussion of these risks, please refer to AeroVironment’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events.

US stocks rise after an encouraging inflation report

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are rising following an encouraging report on inflation that could help the Federal Reserve keep cutting interest rates next year. A strong profit report from Micron Technology also helped AI stocks halt their sharp slides Thursday, at least for now. The S&P 500 rose 1.1%, coming off its fourth straight loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 406 points, and the Nasdaq composite added 1.5%. Some relief came from a report showing that inflation was less bad last month than economists expected. Micron, the seller of memory and storage for computers, soared after reporting stronger profit and revenue than expected.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

Wall Street pointed toward gains before the opening bell Thursday, a day after declines for AI stocks dragged the U.S. market to its worst day in nearly a month.

Futures for the S&P 500 gained 0.4%, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 0.2%. Nasdaq futures shot 0.8% higher.

Some of the companies hit hardest on Wednesday were poised to regain some of those losses Thursday. Broadcom, Oracle and CoreWeave were all up a little more than 1% early Wednesday, possibly boosted by a strong earnings report from the chipmaker Micron.

Micron jumped 12.8% early Thursday after it easily beat Wall Street's first-quarter profit and revenue targets. The Idaho company said that demand for AI accelerated last quarter, pushing its profit and revenue to record highs.

The artificial-intelligence sector is being pressured by questions over whether Big Tech companies’ share prices have shot too high. Micron's record quarter may temporarily ease some of the anxiety over AI and whether all the money being poured into it will turn into productivity and profit.

Outside the tech sector, Lululemon jumped 7.4% on reports that activist investor Elliott Management has taken a more than $1 billion stake in the company and is pushing for a new CEO.

Traders were waiting for an update later in the day on U.S. inflation, and on a decision Friday by Japan’s central bank on interest rates. The Bank of Japan is expected to raise its key rate by 0.25 percentage point to tamp down price pressures, despite a contraction in the July-September quarter.

The Bank of England on Thursday cut its key interest rate for the first time in four months amid signs that the stubbornly high inflation that has plagued British consumers and businesses is beginning to ease. Policymakers at Britain’s central bank voted to reduce the base rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 3.75%.

At midday in Europe, Germany's DAX edged 0.2% higher to 24,007.33, while the CAC 40 in Paris gained 0.4% to 8,114.30. Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.3% to 9,800.00.

In Asian trading, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 lost 1% to 49,001.50, with technology shares leading the decline.

Technology and telecoms giant SoftBank sank 4%. Computer chipmaker Tokyo Electron lost 3.2% while chip testing equipment maker Advantest dropped 3.3%.

Honda Motor Corp. fell 2.2% after reports said it was suspending production at some plants in Japan and China due to shortages of computer chips.

South Korea’s Kospi sank 1.5% to 3,994.51, also pulled lower by selling of shares in electronics companies and automakers. LG Electronics declined 3.1%, while Samsung Electronics lost 0.3%.

Chinese markets were mixed. Hong Kong's Hang Seng bounced back from early losses to gain 0.1%, closing at 25,498.13. The Shanghai Composite index edged 0.2% higher, to 3,876.37.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 was nearly unchanged at 8,588.20.

In energy markets early Thursday, U.S. crude was up 11 cents at $55.92 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 7 cents to $59.75 per barrel. It had climbed 1.3% on Wednesday.

Oil prices have been falling for most of this year on expectations that companies are pumping more than enough crude to meet the world’s demand.