# Army Advances AeroVironment Laser Procurement

The U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a production contract for its Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL), described as the Army’s first production contract for a high-energy laser weapon system intended to counter unmanned aircraft. Separately, an August 7, 2026 report said the Army plans to purchase at least $400 million in AeroVironment Locust directed-energy counter-drone systems; that reported purchase has not been officially confirmed. Neither signal provides confirmed delivery schedules or detailed solicitation information for the reported Locust procurement. For defense contractors, the confirmed E-HEL award and the separate Locust report point to potential movement from counter-drone laser testing toward production and fielding, while leaving scope and follow-on opportunities uncertain.

- The E-HEL production award is confirmed in the signal, but its value, contract number, delivery schedule, and deployment quantities are not provided.
- The reported Locust purchase is valued at **at least $400 million**, but remains unconfirmed; contractors should distinguish this reporting from an official award when assessing the opportunity.
- The systems are intended to counter unmanned aircraft and offer a lower per-shot cost than missiles, according to the signal. Suppliers of directed-energy components and supporting systems may find potential follow-on demand, but no specific requirements or solicitations are identified.
- The report recommends using Army and DoD announcements to verify the Locust procurement’s scope and implementation requirements; no proposal deadline or contracting contact is provided.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Published:** October 04, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Army (Army)
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

### Vendors
- AeroVironment (E-HEL production awardee; reported prospective awardee for the Locust procurement)

### Sources
- [Army awards contract for laser system to counter drones, rollout underway at the border](https://news4sanantonio.com/news/immigration-crisis-podcast/army-awards-contract-for-laser-system-to-counter-drones-rollout-underway-at-the-border) - news4sanantonio.com
- [AVAV Stock Jumps 8% On Reported $400M Army Deal — Why Retail Sees AeroVironment’s Laser Weapons Moving Beyond Testing](https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/equity/avav-stock-jumps-8-percent-on-reported-400m-army-deal-retail-sees-laser-weapons-moving-beyond-testing/cZofhe6RJ9M) - Stocktwits