The US Army used a laser weapon on American soil, then bought it

In late August, the US Army used a 20-kilowatt laser system to down three drones near the Texas-Mexico border, targeting threats linked to organized crime. Shortly after, AeroVironment secured a $464.8 million contract to supply 30-kilowatt Enduring-High Energy Laser systems for deployment on military vehicles, marking the first US production contract for directed energy weapons.