The U.S. Navy has deployed the LaWS Laser Weapon System prototype for operational testing on board the USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15, interim Afloat Forward Staging Base) in the Persian Gulf. The at-sea demonstration onboard USS Ponce is part of a wider portfolio of near-term U.S. Navy directed energy programs that promise rapid fielding, demonstration and prototyping efforts for shipboard, airborne and ground systems.