Why Pakistan is Urgently Moving Toward Shipborne Laser Weapons

The Pakistan Navy (PN) issued a proper tender for the procurement of two 10 kW laser weapon methods (LWS) and two related radars, to be put in on two PN floor combatants. 

Printed by the Directorate of Procurement (Navy) with a deadline of 10 March 2026, the tender marks the PN’s first concrete procurement step in the direction of buying shipborne directed vitality weapons (DEWs), with parallel efforts being undertaken by the PAF to obtain high-powered microwave (HPM) methods.

These LWS methods are to be imported, priced in USD on a Free on Board (FOB) foundation, and delivered inside six months of the contract efficient date.

The tender’s technical annex (dated 04 December 2025) reveals a system tailor-made for counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) and counter-swarm operations, particularly from loitering munitions.

Core specs name for a ten kW high-energy laser (HEL) scalable to 30 kW, with 360-degree azimuth protection and an engagement envelope extending to 2.5 km. Furthermore, the HEL system should neutralize its goal inside 5 seconds at that vary, function beneath all climate circumstances, and combine with the host ship’s fight administration system (CMS) and most important radar.

Lastly, the tender specifies that the HEL provided should already be in operational service with one other army or navy, ruling out developmental or prototype options.