A jaw-dropping new photo shows the US Navy firing off a drone-destroying laser weapon — dubbed “Helios” — from one of its warship. The undated image, which was published in the US Center for Countermeasures’ annual report this month, captured the warfighting laser technology being shot from the USS Preble destroyer in the middle of the ocean. The demo was “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,” the report stated. The report...

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. A U.S. warship, which is currently deployed in the Western Pacific Ocean, was pictured firing its laser at a drone target last week. Newsweek has contacted the Pentagon and the U.S. Navy for further comment by email. The destroyer, USS Preble, completed a switch of home port in October last year when it arrived at Yokosuka in Japan from San Diego in California to join Destroyer Squadron 15, supporting the defense of...