nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ: LASR) shares exhibited a notable ascent of 5.25%, reaching $13.63 at last check during the current trading session. This surge in the shares of the preeminent provider of high-powered semiconductor and fiber lasers on US charts follows the reception of a substantial contract.
Today, nLIGHT (LASR) unveiled the award of a $34.5 million contract, slated for completion over an estimated 18-month period. The contract, bestowed upon the company, is designated for the provision of a High Energy Laser (HEL) in support of the US Army’s Rapid Capabilities Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO). It forms an integral part of the US Army’s broader Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (DE M-SHORAD) prototyping initiative.
In its role, nLIGHT is acting as a subcontractor to KORD Technologies, LLC, the principal contractor overseeing this endeavor. The DE M-SHORAD initiative aligns with the U.S. Army’s overarching modernization strategy for air and missile defense, concentrating on the integration of a 50kW-class laser weapon system onto a Stryker combat vehicle.
This initiative enhances defensive capabilities against unmanned aircraft systems, rockets, artillery, mortar, and rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft. Directed energy laser weapons, when juxtaposed with traditional heavy kinetic weapons, present several advantages such as increased ammunition capacity at a lower cost-per-shot, all within a more compact framework.
The transition of high-energy lasers from laboratory settings to operational fields is evident. Over the past decade, nLIGHT has dedicated its efforts to the development and production of innovative, dependable, field-serviceable, and cost-effective high-power fiber lasers, catering to both commercial and defense clienteles.
LASR’s collaboration with KORD and RCCTO harnesses a dual-use business model, expediting the advancement and delivery of pioneering yet economical lasers to the military. LASR’s holistic approach to laser design and manufacturing encompasses integrated High Energy Laser (HEL) and beam control solutions, utilizing adaptive optics to concentrate additional power on the target, thereby optimizing laser efficacy.
The vertically integrated methodology empowers nLIGHT to oversee every facet of system design, enabling the production of robust lasers with components that are easily replaceable and serviceable by field personnel—a pivotal factor for the sustained adoption of directed energy laser weapons.
