U.S. Navy's Laser Fleet Dream Delayed Until Next-Gen Warships

The U.S. Navy's ambition to equip every ship with high-energy laser weapons faces significant delays. While Operation Epic Fury demonstrated the necessity of directed energy for missile defense, the current fleet lacks the power and cooling capacity to support such systems. The Navy's Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Daryl Caudle, emphasizes the need for future warships designed specifically for laser weapons, pushing the realization of a laser fleet into the 2030s.