THE CRUNCH
The US Navy has started using Xbox-style controllers to operate anti-drone laser weapons, and the systems are reportedly already deployed on warships and used against drones in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Tom's Hardware, citing Interesting Engineering. The familiar gamepad layout is said to offer precise targeting and quick inputs, and many sailors already know it, which shortens training.
The economics are part of the appeal: a single laser engagement is estimated to cost around $13 in electricity, against anti-aircraft missiles that can run from thousands to millions of dollars each. Because lasers draw on a ship's electrical supply rather than conventional ammunition, a vessel with sufficient power can keep engaging drones even after its missile magazines are empty.
The Navy is not alone in the approach. The Royal Navy is installing a similar system on its destroyers, with the UK expecting it to be operational by next year, and a comparable system was tested on the USS George H.W. Bush months earlier. Tom's Hardware notes that open questions remain, including whether the controllers are wired or wireless and whether they are off-the-shelf units or contractor-built.