The U.S. Navy on Tuesday fired a high-energy laser weapon in the Gulf of Aden, military officials said, marking the latest test of a cutting-edge system that could potentially be used to counter deadly drone boats used by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
The Navy’s Fifth Fleet said that the U.S. transport dock ship USS Portland tested the laser weapon against a “static surface training target” at sea. It’s the second known test of the system. In May 2020, the laser disabled a small drone flying over the Pacific Ocean, officials said.
The timing and location of the test appear intentional. The Gulf of Aden lies off the coast of Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels for years have been battling the Yemeni government and a Saudi-led coalition in what’s become a protracted civil war and has led to one of the greatest humanitarian crises on the planet.
More than 100,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to international estimates.
The Houthi rebels have routinely deployed so-called “drone boats” into the Gulf of Aden, using the remotely piloted vessels to target their enemy. The Iranian government is widely believed to be helping to build those boats.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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