On December 6, a U.S. Navy destroyer, the USS Preble (DDG 88), navigated the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands as part of a Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP). Notably, the vessel is testing a new laser defense system known as HELIOS (High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance), provided by Lockheed Martin, to evaluate its next-generation air defense capabilities.
The USS Preble (DDG 88), assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15 of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, conducted operations as part of the defense of navigation freedom in the South China Sea, closely coordinating with allies and partners. These operations challenged restrictions imposed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam on navigation near the Spratly Islands. Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin announced that the ship is conducting tests of the HELIOS laser air defense system, delivered to the U.S. Navy in mid-2022.
This tactical ship-integrated laser system provides directed energy capabilities to deter future threats and offers adaptable protection tailored to the U.S. Navy’s needs. With a power output exceeding 60 kW, it is the first tactical system to be integrated into U.S. Navy vessels. Its scalable laser architecture combines multiple lasers spectrally to achieve high beam quality at various power levels. Additionally, the system features long-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, designed to detect and intercept enemy unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
Lastly, FONOP operations aim to challenge unilateral actions by countries requiring prior permission or notification for a military or warship to conduct an “innocent passage” through their territorial waters. In this context, the destroyer, without prior notification or permission request to any of the claimants, contested these illegal restrictions imposed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. This demonstrated that innocent passage is not subject to such limitations, all while conducting a series of tests with a next-generation air defense system.
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