Army awards contract for laser prototype in air defense

Lasers might not just be for Star Wars anymore. As part of the National Defense Strategy, the Army is realizing it needs to invest in more advanced capabilities to counter near-peer competitors like China and Russia. The Army thinks lasers might work for short-range air defense. The service’s Rapid Capabilities Office awarded a contract to prototype lasers on a platoon of four Stryker vehicles in 2022. Federal News Network’s Scott Maucione talked with Craig Robin, senior research scientist for Directed Energy Applications at U.S. Army and Missile Defense Command, about the new award.