LOCUST X3
AeroVironment's third-generation directed-energy weapon; defeats drones for roughly $5 per shot.
Last refreshed: 4 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Will LOCUST X3 win an Army production contract before its missile-based rivals exhaust Gulf war stocks?
Latest on LOCUST X3
- What is the LOCUST X3 directed energy weapon?
- LOCUST X3 is AeroVironment's third-generation laser weapon, delivering 20–35+ kW and defeating Group 1–3 drones at approximately $5 per engagement. It was unveiled at AUSA Global Force in March 2026.Source: AeroVironment / Army Recognition
- LOCUST X3 cost per shot compared to Patriot?
- LOCUST X3 costs approximately $5 per engagement. A Patriot interceptor missile costs roughly $4 million — an 800,000:1 cost ratio in favour of directed energy.Source: AeroVironment
- Is LOCUST X3 in production?
- No. As of April 2026, LOCUST X3 has no production contract. AeroVironment describes it as combat-tested across prior generations but has not disclosed a procurement timeline.Source: AeroVironment
Background
LOCUST X3 is a modular directed-energy weapon unveiled by AeroVironment at the AUSA Global Force conference in Huntsville, Alabama on 25 March 2026. The third-generation laser system delivers 20 to 35-plus kilowatts, defeats Group 1 through Group 3 unmanned aircraft, and costs approximately $5 per engagement — contrasted with the $4 million cost of a Patriot interceptor missile.
AeroVironment describes LOCUST X3 as combat-tested across previous generations, though the system does not yet hold a production contract. The X3's modular architecture allows integration with existing vehicle and vessel platforms, positioning it as a scalable counter-drone layer beneath missile-based air defence. Its Group 1–3 engagement envelope covers the threat range most relevant to battlefield and critical-infrastructure defence.
The system's debut coincided with two other directed-energy announcements in March 2026: Epirus's Leonidas AGV high-power microwave vehicle and the US Navy's confirmation that its shipboard ODIN laser system saw combat during Operation Epic Fury. The convergence of three directed-energy systems reaching field readiness in a single month marks a structural shift in counter-drone economics, from expensive interceptor missiles to effectively unlimited-magazine energy weapons.
