NEW YORK, August 8. /TASS/. The US armed forces have signed their first contract with US tech company AeroVironment to purchase Locust anti-drone lasers worth $400 million, Bloomberg reported, citing sources.

It will be the first production contact for a directed energy counter-drone system beyond the prototype phase.

The report says that the Pentagon is in active search for equipment to counter drones, which are gaining the center stage in modern warfare. It will buy dozens of Locust systems despite the latest friendly fire incident that occurred during trials on the border with Mexico.

In January 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved transferring the Locust anti-drone laser system to US Customs and Border Protection for deployment near Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.

In February, The Wall Street Journal reported that border guards used the system against several balloons, which they mistook for drug smuggling drones. The incident led to airspace closure over El Paso and a vast part of the state of New Mexico.