Photo Surfaces Of Navy's New Super Weapon, Details Are Terrifying
An interesting image has hit X that shows the Navy's new super weapon being tested.
Multiple military websites and X accounts spun up Monday with a photo that shows the HELIOS being tested on the USS Preble.
Details on the weapon are described as follows by ArmyRecognition.com:
"Developed by Lockheed Martin, HELIOS reflects the U.S. Navy’s commitment to integrating directed energy weapons into its fleet to enhance defense capabilities against modern threats. This system combines a high-energy laser, an optical dazzler, and an advanced surveillance capability, providing a layered defense approach that allows targets to be physically neutralized and their sensors disrupted. The Navy aims to counter threats such as drones, fast attack craft, and potentially short-range missiles."
You can see the photo below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.
Photo surfaces of the Navy's new super weapon.
Multiple attempts to get the Navy to comment or confirm the weapon test were not successful as of publication. I will update the piece with any information that might be released.
While the Navy didn't confirm the successful test of the super weapon, a report from the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation released in January 2025 acknowledges that a test did occur.
The report, which includes the photo, states the following:
"CCM supported the Navy’s demonstration on USS Preble (DDG 88) to verify and validate the functionality, performance, and capability of the HEL with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance system against an unmanned aerial vehicle target. CCM collected imagery of the engagements to support the evaluation of system performance."
You can see the image on page 399 of the report here.

Video allegedly shows the Navy's new super weapon. (Credit: https://www.dote.osd.mil/Portals/97/pub/reports/FY2024/other/2024Annual-Report.pdf?ver=WLJFmx7nkeDHIuvrtKyfGQ%3d%3d)
SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE
This could be a game-changing weapon if it works successfully. It was first delivered to be installed a couple years ago, but there's no public information on its true power or capabilities.
Being able to blow up ships, missiles and drones with lasers would be something we've never seen in combat before.
Star Wars - the missile defense system first developed under President Ronald Reagan - was meant to shoot down nukes from space. However, it wasn't close to being functional. The science, at best, was decades away.
It's now 2025 and the existence of HELIOS is known, and we now know it's been tested. If it works, then it could alter how combat is fought on the water.
Imagine being in a fast attack ship and just getting vaporized without a single helicopter or round being fired. If that's not terrifying, then I don't know what is.

Video allegedly shows the Navy's new super weapon being tested. (Credit: United States Navy/Public Domain/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Preble_(DDG-88)#/media/File:US_Navy_110313-N-5503T-166_An_HH-60H_Sea_Hawk_helicopter_lifts_off_from_the_guided-missile_destroyer_USS_Preble_(DDG_88)_after_refueling.jpg)
What are your thoughts on this development? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.