GoKawiilRTX Partners with Xcimer to Explore Laser Fusion Tech for Missile Defense
Defense contractor RTX has entered a collaboration with fusion energy startup Xcimer Energy to explore applications of laser fusion technology, an approach with roots in Cold War-era research. The partnership aims to investigate whether high-powered laser systems originally developed for energy generation could be adapted for defense purposes, including countering missiles and drones.
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This collaboration signals renewed interest in directed-energy weapons as militaries seek faster, cheaper ways to intercept fast-moving threats like drones and missiles compared to traditional kinetic interceptors. It also reflects how commercial fusion research, largely driven by clean energy ambitions, could be repurposed for defense applications, blurring lines between civilian and military tech development.
- RTX and Xcimer Energy are jointly exploring laser fusion applications for defense.
- The technology could potentially be used to intercept missiles and drones.
- The effort revives Cold War-era laser weapon concepts using modern fusion research.
Source: wsj.com, 2026-09-10
Published there as: “Could Laser Fusion Tech Be Used to Shoot Down Missiles and Drones?”
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