AUSA 2025: IPG Photonics developing 20 kW laser

IPG Photonics displayed its 8 kW laser at the Association for the United States Army conference in October 2025. (Janes/Meredith Roaten)

After rolling out its 3 kW laser, IPG Photonics announced it would sell an 8 kW laser and is developing a 20 kW variant for the counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) market, an executive told Janes on 13 October.

The 8 kW is another configuration of the Crossbow mini made for C-UAS operations against slightly larger targets, said Ben Allison, IPG vice-president for defence products, at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) annual conference in Washington, DC. The 8 kW is available for sale after IPG Photonics moved up its debut following European customers expressing interest at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2025 conference held in September in London.

“The eight is just going to be a larger calibre bullet to shoot down a drone,” Allison told Janes in an interview. It has the exact same footprint as the 3 kW but is about three times as expensive. The 3 kW is optimal for Group 1 category UAS, while the 8 kW can tackle Group 2 and above, he said.

The 20 kW laser is targeting Group 3 and larger UASs, he said, adding that it is at a “low” technology readiness level but will debut as the Crossbow when the development is complete.

The company is still working on the equipment, which needs to have bigger optics to have a larger laser. “In order to have bigger optics, now you have a bigger gimbal and everything else,” he said. The base of the laser will be about twice as big.