Austin-based defense robotics company Allen Control Systems announced the launch of its Directed Energy division, which will build high-energy laser capabilities for U.S. and allied governments. The new unit supports the company’s mission of applying autonomous targeting systems to counter rising drone threats.
To run the division, ACS appointed Amanda Clark as vice president of directed energy and John Mason as high energy laser program director. Both leaders previously served under the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command.
“The defense industry has invested heavily in directed energy, but generating a powerful beam is only part of the challenge. You still have to find a fast-moving threat, stay on target and engage it with precision. ACS has already demonstrated those capabilities with our Bullfrog autonomous weapon station, and applying that expertise to directed energy is a powerful combination,” Joe Bingold, ACS’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “Amanda and John’s extensive hands-on expertise from the U.S. Army’s directed energy efforts, combined with our unparalleled technical talent and innovative approach, will enable us to rapidly build the layered defenses needed to protect U.S. and allied forces and critical infrastructure at scale.”
