Group : Local Air Defenses
Status : Under Development
Also Known As : Mobile Tactical High Energy Laser
Origin : United States of America
Contractors : Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI), Northrop Grumman
Total Production : ?

The Mobile Tactical High-Energy Laser (MHTEL) has been designed to engage artillery rounds, rockets, mortar rounds, short-range ballistic missiles, UAVs, and air-to-surface cruise missiles. It is a derivative of proven THEL (Tactical High-Energy Laser) and might be used as an advanced, revolutionary defense system against many airborne threats.

The US Army and the Ministry of Defense of Israel are funding this program on a cooperative effort. Since 2000, The US Army is testing the laser weapon system to demonstrate its suitability in a realistic scenario against most common threats. The US Army intends to field the directed energy weapon within the Future Combat Systems making a great leap forward in modern warfare.

In August 2004, the THEL demonstrator scored another success destroying mortar rounds at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The laser weapon defeated both single mortar rounds and multiple mortar rounds fired in a salvo. Until August 2004, the system had been validated against artillery shells and rockets.