Solid-State Laser Technology Maturation (SSL-TM) LWS

The Solid-State Laser Technology Maturation (SSL-TM) program was a U.S. Navy initiative to develop and mature high-energy solid-state laser weapon systems. These systems are designed to provide defensive capabilities against various threats, including unmanned aerial vehicles and small surface vessels.

Initiated by the Office of Naval Research in 2015, the program contracted Northrop Grumman to scale up maritime directed-energy capabilities to a 150-kilowatt-class weapon system, building upon lessons learned from earlier lower-power laser prototypes. The resulting Laser Weapon System Demonstrator (LWSD) MK 2 Mod 0 was integrated onto the amphibious transport dock USS Portland (LPD-27) for sea trials in late 2019. During at-sea testing in May 2020 and December 2021, the USS Portland successfully used the system to disable an aerial drone in the Pacific Ocean and engage a marine target in the Gulf of Aden. While primarily an experimental demonstrator, the SSL-TM program successfully validated shipboard integration of high-energy lasers, directly paving the way for the Navy's current HELIOS and HELCAP weapon programs.