The initial contract, signed on December 22, 2005, is currently valued at $10M. In addition to this contract, there are three separately priced options. If exercised, these options will increase the contract value to $30M.

The contract is funded by the Joint Technology Office, an arm of the U.S. Department of Defense that functions as the DoD's advocate for High Energy Laser (HEL) technology development and funds high priority science and technology activities supporting future HEL weapon requirements. The goal of the J-HPSSL program is to demonstrate integration of scaleable subsystem technologies at the laboratory level into a 100 kW-Class solid-state laser system for use on a variety of military platforms.

Jim Stamboni, senior vice president, Textron Systems, Advanced Solutions Center, said, "We are extraordinarily proud to have the opportunity to further develop next-generation laser technologies for the U.S. Department of Defense. Our laser systems have consistently surpassed many technical milestones, while remaining compact, scaleable, and affordable. In addition, these systems promise to provide the warfighter with enhanced capability in terms of shorter engagement timelines, high-precision targeting combined with long reach, while inflicting low collateral damage."

Textron Systems has been a pioneer and technology leader in high power laser research and development for nearly a half-century. The work that began during the sixties, seventies and eighties at the former Avco Everett Research Laboratory focused on weapon-class gas laser development and demonstrated many well-known landmark laser devices. During the nineties and ongoing today, Textron Systems has been building on that heritage by focusing on the development of breakthrough solid-state laser concepts to provide the warfighter with compact, affordable, and rugged Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) systems capable of withstanding the most severe operational and environmental battlefield conditions.