Kawasaki showcases for the first time naval version concept of their direct energy weapon – Naval News

From the article

Even though the company stresses the naval version is still a concept, a glimpse of the design was displayed on their booth showing the possible capabilities of such system for Japanese naval platforms.

Still at early stage of development, Kawasaki told *Naval News* some years will be needed to get a mature product and they are still expecting the Japanese Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) to officially launch the program with hopes to be involved.

For the record, in 2024, the MoD asked for 19.1 billion yen ($132 million) for FY2025 budget to conduct research on a ship-based high-power laser system capable of dealing with the new threat of large numbers of small unmanned aircraft. For now and as already reported by [*Naval News*](https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/03/japans-asev-super-destroyer-fresh-details-unveiled/), the only scheduled ships that should be fitted with high-power laser system will be the Aegis Equipped System Vessels (ASEV) destroyers after 2032.

Japan is now officially part of a small group of nations *Naval News* is aware of that develop their own direct energy weapon system. The group includes the US with [several programs ongoing](https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/02/u-s-navy-helios-laser-test-underscores-greater-advancements-in-directed-energy-weapons/), the UK with the [Dragonfire](https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/04/royal-navy-plans-to-field-dragonfire-laser-weapon-from-2027/), Germany with the [LWD](https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/09/germany-successfully-completes-laser-weapon-testing-at-sea/) co-developed between Rheinmetall and MBDA, France and its [HELMA-P](https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/06/french-navy-tests-helma-p-laser-weapon-from-horizon-destroyer/), and probably [China which tested what appeared like an energy weapon](https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/08/chinese-navy-testing-laser-turret-on-type-071-lpd/) on a Type 071 amphibious transport dock.

Kawasaki has already a backstory with direct energy weapon as it has been working on two different versions of laser systems for a few years now: one of 100KW that would be mounted on large vehicles and another much less powerful but very precise of 2 KW and capable to neutralize a UAV at several hundred meters. Tests for the two land-based systems started from 2023 with ATLA – Japanese defence research and procurement agency.