Japan tests 100-kilowatt laser weapon on warships

Japan is testing a 100-kilowatt laser weapon capable of cutting through metal and disabling drones mid-flight. The powerful fiber laser system, combining ten 10 kW lasers, has been installed on a Japanese warship for maritime trials. It has successfully targeted drones and mortar rounds in ground tests. Development began in 2018, with operational deployment years away. Japan joins other nations like the U.S. and U.K. in developing directed-energy weapons.