Booz Allen’s New Unit to Focus on Laser Weapon Tech Development; Susan Penfield Quoted

Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE: BAH) has started a new business with the goal to help military customers build directed energy and high-energy laser weapon systems.

HELworks is using modular architecture to produce size, weight and power-optimized directed energy systems and has three platforms in its portfolio of offerings, Booz Allen said Monday.

The newly formed unit offers a High Energy Laser Mission Equipment Package, which combines kinetic and non-kinetic short-range air defense capabilities into a single weapon system for use in Stryker armored vehicles.

The second offering, dubbed Modular Compact High Energy Laser, is a 12 kW power weapon system designed to engage ground targets.

LightEngine is the unit’s third product and functions as a fully integrated subsystem consisting of power, cooling, lasers and control systems.

“We have matured a portfolio of highly relevant directed energy solutions and delivered systems to the warfighter for operational test and evaluation—and the time is right to organizationally align this capability into a structure that will enable continued innovation and system development in a highly focused way,” said Susan Penfield, chief technology officer at Booz Allen and a three-time Wash100 awardee.

HELworks is headquartered in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and will maintain a laser weapons integration facility in Knoxville, Tennessee.

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