EOS awarded $125 million contract for anti-drone laser project

Defence contractor Electro Optic Systems (EOS) has secured what it says is “the world’s first export order for a 100-kilowatt class laser defence system”, with the weapon deal worth €71.4 million ($125 million.)

According to a statement from EOS on Tuesday, the project is for a European NATO member state and is “to address the urgent market need and emerging strategic requirement to defend against drone swarm attacks at an economical cost.”

The order covers production, delivery, spare parts, training and documentation, and will be fulfilled across 2025 – 2028 by EOS in Singapore.

“The high-power laser builds on [EOS's] core competencies and substantially extends them,” the company said in a statement. 

The EOS development program “included three years of field testing and numerous firing trials of the laser in close collaboration with customers. To ensure high performance, it is supplied with algorithms, radar, threat detection, target acquisition and beam locking systems.”

Dr Andreas Schwer, CEO of OES, later told news.com.au that the system is able to shoot down approximately 20 drones per minute.

“Missile systems cost $0.5m – $2.0m per shot fired,” Schwer added.

“The laser system costs less than 10 cents per shot.”

Picture: credit EOS/Linkedin