nLIGHT Inc (NASDAQ:LASR) shares are trading higher Thursday after the company announced it has been selected for a Joint Laser Weapon System OTA agreement supporting the U.S. Department of War’s next-generation cruise missile defense architecture. Here’s what you should know.
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nLIGHT Wins Joint Laser Weapon System Contract
nLIGHT said it has been selected for a Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) OTA agreement with an initial award value of $44 million and a total program ceiling of up to $627 million, inclusive of follow-on development, integration and potential production options.
The JLWS initiative, overseen by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, is intended to move directed‑energy systems from experimental demonstrations into platforms that can be produced, fielded and sustained at scale. Early JLWS units are planned at roughly 150 kilowatts, with later versions expected to reach the 300 to 500 kilowatt range needed for cruise‑missile defense. The program is structured under an OTA framework, which supports rapid prototyping and flexible collaboration with the Department of War, allowing faster movement toward production compared with traditional acquisition pathways.
Under the agreement, nLIGHT will design, integrate and deliver multiple high‑energy laser weapon systems and other directed‑energy capabilities. The company is building on earlier work, including a 300‑kilowatt system delivered through the High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative and a 50‑kilowatt system supplied under the Army’s Directed Energy Maneuver‑Short Range Air Defense program.
“This award reflects the Department of War’s increasing focus on transitioning directed energy from prototype to deployed capability at scale and aligns directly with our strategy to move beyond demonstration programs and into production-oriented platforms that can be fielded across land and maritime environments,” said Scott Keeney, chairman and chief executive officer of nLIGHT.
LASR Shares Are Soaring
LASR Price Action: nLight shares were up 27.44% at $74.78 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro.
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