UNITED STATES OF AMERICA —According to an official announcement, nLIGHT, Inc. has been selected for a Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement supporting the U.S. Department of War's next-generation cruise missile defense architecture. The agreement includes an initial award valued at USD 44 million and provides for a total program ceiling of up to USD 627 million, covering potential follow-on development, system integration, and production activities.
nLIGHT is a U.S.-based technology company listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker LASR. The company develops high-energy laser technologies and advanced photonics solutions for defense, industrial, and aerospace applications, with expertise in scalable directed energy systems.
The JLWS program is led by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering through the SCADE CTA initiative, which aims to transition directed energy technologies from prototype systems to production-ready platforms. The program focuses on containerized high-energy laser weapons, with initial systems designed at approximately 150 kW and future variants planned to reach the 300–500 kW range for enhanced cruise missile defense.
The award highlights continued investment in directed energy capabilities as governments seek cost-effective and scalable air and missile defense technologies. The program is expected to benefit defense contractors, laser technology developers, systems integrators, and component suppliers. For businesses and investors, it signals sustained procurement opportunities in advanced defense technologies, particularly in high-energy laser systems supporting land and maritime operational environments.
