The leadership of the U.S. Navy, having experienced a shortage of interceptor missiles while defending against asymmetric threats such as drones from Iran during the conflict that has exceeded six months, is drawing attention by asserting the need for directed-energy weapons (DEWs) such as high-power laser beams.

Admiral Daryl Caudle, Commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command (Note: referred to as Navy leadership/chief in context), wrote in an opinion piece sent to The Washington Post on the 2nd (local time) that "recent conflicts have shown how quickly low-cost drones, one-way attack aircraft, and other relatively inexpensive weapons can strain even advanced air and missile defenses."

He pointed out, "A defender firing millions of dollars in interceptor missiles at an inexpensive drone may win the immediate engagement, but could lose the long-term war of attrition," adding that "as the cost asymmetry between offense and defense widens, this is becoming a critical challenge for the U.S. Navy."

Admiral Caudle thus argued, "This is why DEWs, particularly high-power lasers, are strategically important."

He explained, "Lasers offer the potential to shift a portion of naval defense from limited stockpiled ammunition to onboard ship power. If properly integrated, this shift would allow warships to neutralize certain low-cost threats at the speed of light, with the marginal cost measured in fuel, power generation, and maintenance rather than interceptor missile expenditures."

This means that instead of firing a large number of expensive interceptor missiles to defend against waves of low-cost Iranian drones, warships could shoot them down using high-power laser beams installed on board.

Emphasizing the advantages, Admiral Caudle noted, "An interceptor missile fired to shoot down a cheap drone is one less weapon available to prepare for the next attack or launch a counterattack against the enemy. If lasers can shoulder some of the defensive burden, commanders will have more options, crews can conserve the weapons they need most, and ships can preserve their lethal combat capability for longer."

However, Admiral Caudle pointed out, "The question is whether a warship can repeatedly generate and sustain the power required for lasers while simultaneously supplying electricity to propulsion systems, radar, communications, electronic warfare, and other systems needed to engage other ships."

He stated that while the possibility of establishing an air defense network utilizing laser weapons is "realistic," it remains "bound by the laws of physics."

Admiral Caudle also diagnosed, "Directed energy is as much a challenge of ship design as it is of weapon development. A ship's power capacity will increasingly become a gauge of its combat power.

Future ships equipped with greater power capacity will be able to better integrate advanced sensors, directed-energy weapons, electronic warfare systems, and tactical computing."

Stating that laser weapons have great utility as part of a multi-layered defense system against low-cost threats such as drones and unmanned vessels, Admiral Caudle suggested first pursuing containerized laser systems incrementally before building an industrial base capable of fielding a complete directed-energy system on warships, a fleet capable of operating it, and the operational proficiency of crews.

He argued, "These are modular, self-contained units that can be added to existing ships without major modifications and manage power and cooling requirements at a manageable level."

He further emphasized, "Such systems will allow crews to immediately develop tactics and maintenance procedures and build practical combat experience. Moreover, as the technology matures, it will enable faster upgrades and broader utilization across the fleet."

Admiral Caudle stated, "Future superiority may go not simply to the fleet with the most advanced weapons, but to the fleet that can withstand attacks, preserve firepower, and keep fighting. Directed energy can help our sailors secure that advantage. In a prolonged maritime war, endurance is combat power."

(Photo provided by U.S. Navy, Yonhap News)