US Navy Uses Xbox-Controlled Laser Against Drones in Strait of Hormuz

The US Navy has begun deploying anti-drone lasers controlled with Xbox-style controllers aboard warships. The system has already been used against drones and other threats in the Strait of Hormuz. The game controller-like control device has therefore moved beyond the testing stage and become part of a weapons system used in an active conflict zone.

The Xbox-style controller was chosen to enable precise targeting and allow operators to issue commands quickly. Because many sailors are already familiar with the button layout, they can adapt to the new control method more quickly. It has not been disclosed whether the controller is wired or wireless. It is also unclear whether it is a standard model sold in stores or a specially designed version.

The move comes several months after a similar laser was tested aboard the USS George H.W. Bush supercarrier. The use of the anti-drone laser in an active conflict zone is considered one of the first such applications of the technology. The United Kingdom’s Royal Navy is also installing a similar system on destroyers. The system is expected to be ready in 2027.

The main advantage of laser systems is that they are cheaper to use against drones than missiles. The electricity consumed each time the laser is fired is estimated to cost about 13 dollars (approximately 22 manats). Conventional anti-aircraft missiles start at thousands of dollars, meaning thousands of manats. Some missiles can cost millions of dollars, meaning millions of manats. A laser system also does not require a supply of ammunition.

For the weapon to operate continuously, the ship must have sufficient electrical power, and the system must remain operational. The large turbine engines on destroyers and the nuclear reactors on US supercarriers can provide the necessary power. This means the laser can continue protecting the ship against approaching drones even after its missiles and shells have been depleted.

Anti-drone lasers have previously been used in land-based systems as well. At the end of August, the US military used such weapons to disable drones belonging to Mexican cartels. Ukraine also tested AI-controlled lasers in mid-2026 to destroy Shahed kamikaze drones.