The UK has successfully fired a high-power laser weapon against an aerial target for the first time in a trial.
It is hoped that the test will pave the way for a low-cost alternative to missiles to shoot down targets like drones.
The DragonFire weapon is precise enough to hit a £1 coin from a kilometre away, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) says.
Rheinmetall has the HEL and I believe the US has one in the works too.
The US already has a variety of HEL systems. The Navy has them, the Army has a Stryker brigade with them along with systems to go in the bed of a pickup truck and one that mounts on a side by side.