Our discussions with industry experts at OPTRO 2026, held this year in Marseille (France), revealed a defense landscape defined by rapid evolution and technological integration. The primary focus is currently shifting toward AI-driven sensing and perception, where on-edge processing allows for real-time autonomous targeting and tracking. This is being paired with advanced sensors across all spectral bands (from SWIR to LWIR), utilizing next-gen concepts like hyperspectral and neuromorphic imaging to achieve higher sensitivity with lower SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power).
As laser power and efficiency increase, the industry is also grappling with the need for Open Architectures. To counter modern threats like drone swarms and hypersonic missiles, systems must move away from vendor lock-in toward modular “plug-and-play” designs capable of supporting hardware and software updates every three months. This agility is a direct lesson from recent conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine, which has underscored the need for resilient, EW-resistant systems that can adapt at the speed of the digital battlefield.
The conversation highlighted the critical importance of Sovereignty and Supply Chains. There is a concerted effort to reduce reliance on non-European suppliers for materials like Germanium and Indium, ensuring a secure domestic pipeline for photonics. By leveraging civilian technology ingestion—such as commercial AI and semiconductor roadmaps—and integrating space-to-space optical communications, the defense sector is building a high-bandwidth, resilient network capable of operating even in GNSS-denied environments.
The industry is converging toward AI-enhanced sensing and high-power laser systems with unprecedented beam control. To stay ahead of compressed threat cycles, the defense sector must prioritize modularity, material sovereignty, and the integration of space-based optical links.
The future of defense is not just about the light we can generate, but how quickly we can adapt the systems that guide it.
During the EPIC roundtable, a clear message emerged: laser technologies are becoming a central pillar of future defense capabilities. The momentum is unmistakable. High-power laser systems, optical countermeasures, precision guidance, and directed-energy applications are all accelerating as armed forces face faster, more agile, and more saturating threats.
Another key takeaway was the inherently multidisciplinary nature of next-generation laser systems. Photonics alone is no longer enough. Achieving the required performance now demands tight integration of optics, thermal management, mechanical engineering, power electronics, and advanced control architectures. This convergence is becoming a decisive factor for industrial scalability and the operational maturity of laser technologies on the battlefield.
Thanks to the speakers for sharing their knowlege: Tematys, 3L- OPTRONICS, ENEKA Partners, Solnil, Exail, ASSEMBLIFY and ElFys. You can check the full agenda of the EPIC Technology Session at OPTRO – Laser Systems for Defense Applications, here.
Tematys – Thierry Robin
3L – OPTRONICS – Ludovic Escoubas
ENEKA Partners – Eneka Idiart-Barsoum
Solnil – David Grosso
Exail – Alexandre Loulier
ASSEMBLIFY – Oliver Grass
ElFys – Mikko Juntunen
