nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ: LASR) has been awarded a Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) contract through an Other Transaction Authority agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense, according to a company press release.

The initial award is valued at $44 million, with a total program ceiling of up to $627 million, which includes follow-on development, integration, and potential production options.

Under the contract, nLIGHT will develop, integrate, and deliver multiple high-energy laser weapon systems. Initial prototypes will be rated at approximately 150 kilowatts, with subsequent iterations targeted at 300 to 500 kilowatts for cruise missile defense applications. The systems are designed to be containerized and deployable across land and maritime platforms.

The JLWS program is led by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and is focused on transitioning directed energy systems from demonstration prototypes to field-ready platforms. Operational demonstrations are planned as early as 2028.

"This award reflects the Department's increasing focus on transitioning directed energy from prototype to deployed capability at scale," said Scott Keeney, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of nLIGHT.

nLIGHT previously delivered a 300-kilowatt high-energy laser under the High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative program and a 50-kilowatt system under the Army's Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense program.