--- title: "US Army Tested the AMP-HEL Mobile Laser on a Light Tactical Vehicle at Fort Bliss" description: "The US Army released photos of tests of the AMP-HEL laser system on a light tactical vehicle at Fort Bliss. The 20 kW laser is designed for mobile counter-drone operations." date: 2026-09-24T06:50:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/us-army-tests-amp-hel-mobile-laser-on-light-tactical-vehicle-at-fort-bliss tags: [us-army, amp-hel, laser-weapon, counter-uas, fort-bliss, aerovironment, drones] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # US Army Tested the AMP-HEL Mobile Laser on a Light Tactical Vehicle at Fort Bliss ![US Army soldiers service the AMP-HEL mobile laser system mounted on a light tactical vehicle during testing at Fort Bliss](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/24/armiya-ssha-ispytala-lazernuyu-sistemu-amp-hel-na-legkoy-mashine-v-fort-bliss/armiya-ssha-ispytala-lazernuyu-sistemu-amp-hel-na-legkoy-mashine-v-fort-bliss-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The US Army released photos on September 22 of tests of the AMP-HEL laser system on an Infantry Squad Vehicle at Fort Bliss. - AMP-HEL is a 20 kW-class system based on the LOCUST laser (AeroVironment) and a General Motors Defense vehicle, designed for countering UAVs. - The key feature is mobility: the laser accompanies units rather than protecting only static objects. - On the night of August 26, JTF-SB reported engaging three drones with AMP-HEL on the southern border. The US Army released new photos on September 22 of tests of the AMP-HEL (Army Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser) directed-energy laser system, mounted on a light tactical Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV). According to RBC-Ukraine, citing Army Recognition and the official Pentagon and US Army resource DVIDS, the photos were taken at the Fort Bliss range in Texas, where service members were preparing the system for evaluation during exercises. ### Tests at Fort Bliss: Who and What Was Being Checked According to available information, on September 16, service members of the 1st Armored Division and the Joint Task Force–South Border (JTF-SB) prepared the AMP-HEL system for testing at the Fort Bliss range. During the exercises, the military assessed the capabilities of the laser complex and, importantly, its interoperability with other means used for operations on the US southern border. Thus, the current tests go beyond a simple technology demonstration: they are about verifying how a mobile laser can be integrated into an overall counter-drone system. ### What Is AMP-HEL and How It Is Built According to Army Recognition, AMP-HEL is a 20 kW-class system designed for countering unmanned aerial vehicles. In the configuration presented at Fort Bliss, the LOCUST laser complex by AeroVironment is combined with a General Motors Defense tactical vehicle. The concept envisions creating a relatively light and mobile platform capable of accompanying units and providing them with drone protection, rather than being limited to defending static objects. ### Mobility as a Key Advantage Mobility is one of the key features of AMP-HEL. Mounting the laser on an ISV should give the military the ability to move the counter-drone asset together with units, rather than using it only to protect fixed positions. The military need to verify not only the laser's ability to engage targets, but also how easily it can be moved, deployed, and integrated into the overall counter-UAV architecture. ### Combat Use on the Southern Border The context of the tests takes on practical significance against the backdrop of statements about the system's combat use. At the end of August, the Joint Task Force–South Border reported that on the night of August 26, US military personnel used AMP-HEL to engage three unmanned aerial vehicles. According to US military data, the drones posed a threat to US service members and customs and border partners, and were linked to cartel activity. It is separately noted that this information is based on statements by JTF-SB and the Pentagon itself. ### Broader Context: Other Counter-UAV Systems The AMP-HEL tests fit into a broader set of measures to counter small unmanned aerial vehicles. Earlier, US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) tested Bumblebee interceptor drones by the American company Perennial Autonomy during the Falcon Peak 26.2 exercises at the Yuma range in Arizona. The totality of these steps indicates that the Pentagon is building a multi-layered counter-drone system, in which mobile laser complexes play one of the roles alongside interceptors and other means. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [US Shows Combat Laser AMP-HEL on a Light Vehicle: What Is Known About the New Weapon Against Drones](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ssha-pokazali-boyoviy-lazer-amp-hel-legkiy-1790232444.html) - Совпадает с основой: даты 16 и 22 сентября, Форт-Блисс, ISV, 20 кВт, LOCUST/AeroVironment + GM Defense, JTF-SB и 1-я бронетанковая дивизия, заявление о трёх дронах в ночь на 26 августа. - [Laser Air Defense Goes on the Hunt. For the First Time a Combat Laser Managed to Destroy Enemy Drones](https://www.securitylab.ru/news/576668.php) - Подтверждает контекст боевого применения лазера против дронов; не противоречит датам и характеристикам из основы. - [Cheap Drones Are Being Prepared a Costly Surprise. The US Army Successfully Tested a Combat Laser](https://www.securitylab.ru/news/576988.php) - Подтверждает контекст боевого применения лазера против дронов; не противоречит датам и характеристикам из основы. - [Laser Air Defense Goes on the Hunt. For the First Time a Combat Laser Managed to Destroy Enemy Drones](https://news.rambler.ru/army/56987666-lazernoe-pvo-vyshlo-na-ohotu-vpervye-boevoy-lazer-smog-unichtozhit-vrazheskie-drony/) - Репост материала securitylab.ru; не вносит новых противоречий по датам и цифрам. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What is AMP-HEL? **A:** AMP-HEL (Army Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser) is a mobile 20 kW-class directed-energy laser system that the US Army is considering as a means of countering small unmanned aerial vehicles. In the Fort Bliss configuration, it combines the LOCUST laser complex by AeroVironment with a General Motors Defense tactical vehicle. ### Q: Where and when did the tests take place? **A:** The tests took place at the Fort Bliss range in Texas; preparation of the system for testing began on September 16, and photos of service members preparing AMP-HEL were released on September 22. ### Q: What is the main advantage of mounting the laser on an ISV? **A:** Mobility: the laser can be moved together with units and used to protect them, rather than only to defend static objects, which allows it to be integrated into an overall counter-drone system. ### Q: Has AMP-HEL been used in combat? **A:** According to a statement by the Joint Task Force–South Border (JTF-SB), on the night of August 26, military personnel used AMP-HEL to engage three drones linked to cartel activity. This data is based on statements by US military personnel.