France tests anti-drone laser on Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier

The French Navy conducted the first tests of an anti-drone laser system aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. The trials took place from June 4 to June 8, 2026, during the La Fayette 26 deployment.

According to the official naval magazine Cols Bleus, the module—which includes cameras, a LIDAR system, a laser generator, a cooling unit, and an operator console—was installed on the flight deck in approximately four hours. The experimentation validated the system's performance under various operational configurations, including aerial transport, crane lifting, and extreme weather conditions.

While the French Navy has not officially identified the specific equipment, industry specialists suggest the system may be the HELMA-P high-energy laser developed by CILAS, a company owned by Safran and MBDA. The technology is designed to detect, track, and neutralize small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).