EOS Secures €71.4 Million Contract to Deliver 100kW Laser Anti-Drone System to European NATO Member

In a major step forward for directed energy weapons, Electro Optic Systems (EOS) has landed a €71.4 million (around A$125 million) deal to supply a 100-kilowatt laser-based drone defence system to a European NATO member state. This marks a world-first export of a laser weapon in the 100kW class, a powerful indication of where modern battlefield technology is heading.

The contract includes not just the delivery of the high-energy laser weapon itself, but also spare parts, training, and technical documentation. Shipments will take place between 2025 and 2028, and the system will be produced at EOS’s advanced manufacturing facility in Singapore.

This isn’t just a typical arms sale. It reflects the rising demand for cost-effective, scalable solutions to one of the most pressing threats in today’s warfare: drone swarm attacks. Unmanned aerial vehicles, often cheap and used in large numbers, are becoming increasingly dangerous. In response, EOS has spent the last three years testing and refining its new laser system to provide a reliable, clean, and kinetic-free method of defence.

The 100kW laser system is designed to detect, track, and disable drones with pinpoint accuracy. It integrates a suite of advanced technologies, including:

• High-powered directed energy beam

• Radar systems for target detection

• Advanced algorithms for threat analysis

• Beam locking and tracking systems for precision engagement

These capabilities allow the laser to neutralize aerial threats silently and without collateral damage, making it ideal for use in urban or sensitive environments where explosive countermeasures are not suitable.

Unlike traditional missile or gun-based air defence, laser weapons offer a near-instant response time and very low cost per shot, allowing sustained operations against large numbers of small drones without logistical strain.

EOS’s new system builds on its previous work in kinetic counter-drone technologies, but the shift to directed energy represents a major leap in capability. The company credited the contract win to “extensive marketing, live demonstrations, and close collaboration with customers” throughout the development and testing phase.

This breakthrough deal not only boosts Australia-based EOS's standing in the global defence market, but also signals growing international confidence in high-energy laser weapons as part of next-generation layered air defence systems. It also adds to the ongoing trend among NATO countries of rapidly enhancing counter-UAV capabilities in response to lessons learned from recent conflicts, including in Ukraine and the Middle East, where drones have transformed the battlefield.

The announcement was formally released to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) by EOS’s Board of Directors.