U.S. Army’s Indirect Fires Protection Capability-High Energy Laser (IFPC-HEL) Demonstrator laser weapon system. (Image: courtesy Lockheed Martin)

The Pentagon announced on Thursday it awarded Lockheed Martin [LMT] and nLight Defense [LASR] a pair of deals to work on rapidly transitioning high-energy laser weapon systems into “field-ready, production-oriented platforms” capable of defeating drones and cruise missiles. The Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) deals could total up to $847 million, with the department noting the initiative will begin with a focus on 150-kilowatt prototypes before scaling up to capabilities in the 300-500-kilowattage range.  “By developing containerized high-energy laser weapons,…