AeroVironment Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) conducted a demonstration of its LOCUST Laser Weapon System aboard the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier in October 2025, according to a company statement.

The demonstration involved collaboration with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. During the live-fire event, the Palletized High Energy Laser system tracked and neutralized multiple target drones at sea.

The LOCUST system operated from a palletized configuration that can be rolled onto ships without requiring permanent modifications to the vessel. The system can operate using its own battery power or connect to ship power systems.

"LOCUST delivers effective, all-domain protection against emerging drone threats at the speed of light—on any platform, in any domain, for any mission," said John Garrity, Vice President of Directed Energy Systems at AeroVironment.

The company stated that the system has previously operated on ground-based platforms including the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and Infantry Squad Vehicle. The shipboard demonstration marked the system's first maritime deployment.

AeroVironment describes LOCUST as part of its counter-unmanned aerial systems portfolio, which also includes radio frequency-based products and kinetic missile systems. The technologies operate under the company's AV_Halo software platform.

The demonstration aimed to validate the system's capability to operate across multiple military domains and platforms without requiring extensive modifications to host vehicles or vessels.