Dynetics and Lockheed Martin chosen for work on 100-kilowatt laser weapons

Dynetics, Lockheed Martin, and other partner laser weapons companies have received a $10 million contract for further development of the 100-kilowatt High Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator (HELTVD) program. Officials of the Lockheed Martin Space Systems segment in Sunnyvale, Calif., announced the contract Monday. A preliminary design review for the program is expected to start in January 2019. The companies recently completed a system requirements review and technical baseline update. The laser will be mounted on the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles, a series of military trucks produced by Oshkosh. The laser is a derivative of the U.S. Army’s Robust Electric Laser Initiative program. Team Dynetics is one of two competitors seeking to build to build a laser system will be tested in 2022 at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The other team, led by Raytheon, received a $10 million contract from the Army at the beginning of July for development of the system.