The USS Preble is the only U.S. destroyer armed with the HELIOS, which can fire laser beams to destroy fast attack craft and drones.

The US Navy’s HELIOS laser weapon, a cutting-edge directed energy system, has demonstrated its potential in recent tests, taking down aerial threats with precision. Installed on USS Preble, HELIOS represents a major shift in naval defence,

The image published in an annual Navy report shows the High Energy Laser on USS Preble being tested on a drone target.