{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/conflict/us-military-deploys-laser-weapons-in-strait-of-hormuz","slug":"us-military-deploys-laser-weapons-in-strait-of-hormuz","url":"https://mediabias.news/conflict/us-military-deploys-laser-weapons-in-strait-of-hormuz","title":"US military deploys laser weapons in Strait of Hormuz","subtitle":"High-energy systems are used to destroy drones and missiles, operated with modified game controllers.","excerpt":"The US military has deployed high-energy laser weapons in the Strait of Hormuz to counter aerial threats. These systems, operated with modified Xbox controllers, can destroy drones and cruise missiles. Their effectiveness is reportedly limited by weather and drone swarms.","category":"Conflict & Security","area":"Middle East","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T20:45:44.828Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-09-24T17:28:42.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-24T20:45:44.828Z","readTime":"3 min read","scores":{"trust":60,"critic":65,"hype":45,"notes":{"trust":"The central claim is attributed to the Department of War and multiple named experts.","critic":"The report includes quotes from experts and explains the technology, but lacks comment from those affected or opposed.","hype":"The headline uses loaded language like 'fricken laser beams' and 'invisible American lasers'."}},"tags":["#MiddleEast","#USMilitary","#LaserWeapons","#Drones","#NationalSecurity"],"entities":["US Military","Strait of Hormuz","Xbox","Joint Task Force Southern Border","HELIOS"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["The US military is deploying high-energy laser weapons in the Strait of Hormuz.","These systems are used to destroy drones and intercept cruise missiles.","Soldiers operate the weapons using modified Xbox game console controllers.","The lasers require clear skies and struggle against drone swarms."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The US military has deployed high-energy laser weapons in the Strait of Hormuz to destroy drones and intercept cruise missiles. These systems are operated by soldiers using reconfigured Xbox game console controllers. The technology focuses a high-energy laser to destroy objects, reportedly at a lower cost than using kinetic weapons."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The Joint Task Force Southern Border has been testing the technology by shooting down drug-dealer drones. The HELIOS systems reportedly focus a 60 kilowatt high-energy laser. However, the lasers need clear skies to function effectively and have a tough time defending against drone swarms."},{"type":"heading","text":"Coverage disagreements"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The New York Post reported that the US military is spending $500 million on these laser weapons, citing experts. Other reports do not mention a specific cost or contract figure."},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"None of the right-rated reports below mention the specific capabilities of the HELIOS systems beyond their wattage, nor do they detail the number of drug-dealer drones shot down by the Joint Task Force Southern Border."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"Interfax.ru","url":"https://interfax.ru/world/1118346","headline":"The United States Deployed Laser Installations on Ships in the Strait of Ormous","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T21:25:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"India TV News","url":"https://indiatvnews.com/news/world/us-military-reportedly-considers-xbox-style-controls-for-laser-weapons-in-strait-of-hormuz-2026-09-24-1055215","headline":"From Xbox to battlefield? US military reportedly considers gaming-style controls for laser weapons in Hormuz","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T17:28:42.000Z"},{"sourceName":"news-pravda.com","url":"https://news-pravda.com/world/2026/09/24/2617837.html","headline":"The US military shoots down drones with a laser:","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T16:43:47.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Latestly","url":"https://latestly.com/world/laser-weapon-operated-using-xbox-controllers-deployed-by-us-military-in-strait-of-hormuz-report-7619202.html","headline":"Laser Weapon Operated Using Xbox Controllers Deployed by US Military in Strait of Hormuz: Report | 🌎 LatestLY","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T16:37:03.000Z"},{"sourceName":"NDTV","url":"https://ndtv.com/world-news/us-iran-war-weapons-news-us-deploying-laser-weapons-in-hormuz-that-can-be-operated-with-xbox-console-12093870","headline":"US Deploying Laser Weapons In Hormuz That Can Be Operated With Xbox Console: Report","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T16:05:22.000Z"},{"sourceName":"PJ Media","url":"https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2026/09/24/thats-right-were-shooting-down-enemy-drones-with-fricken-laser-beams-n4957608","headline":"That's Right: We're Shooting Down Enemy Drones With Fricken Laser Beams","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T15:28:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"RedState","url":"https://redstate.com/wardclark/2026/09/24/invisible-american-lasers-now-destroying-iranian-weapons-and-infrastructure-n2207333","headline":"Invisible American Lasers Now Destroying Iranian Weapons and Infrastructure","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T11:29:05.000Z"},{"sourceName":"New York Post","url":"https://nypost.com/2026/09/24/us-news/us-military-spending-500m-on-war-ready-laser-weapons-experts","headline":"US military spending $500M on ‘war-ready’ laser weapons — and zapping drones in Iran, along US border: experts","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T10:00:00.000Z"}],"analysis":{"distribution":{"percent":{"left":0,"centre":0,"right":100},"count":{"left":0,"centre":0,"right":8},"totalSources":8,"untracked":0,"rated":8,"observedAt":"2026-09-24T23:00:40.631323+00:00"},"lifecycle":{"state":"developing","lastCheckedAt":"2026-09-24T23:15:16.145Z","closedAt":null,"checks":10,"changes":0,"reopened":false},"framing":{"left":[],"centre":[],"right":["Reports from right-rated outlets focused on the deployment of laser weapons in the Strait of Hormuz and along the US southern border. Several highlighted the use of modified Xbox controllers for operating the systems, with headlines referencing gaming. The New York Post reported a $500 million spending figure and quoted experts on the technology's capabilities and development history. Other outlets mentioned the systems' ability to destroy drones and missiles and noted limitations such as weather conditions and drone swarms."],"comparison":""},"blindspot":{"status":"provisional","underrepresentedSide":"left","note":"Coverage is not closed; this is a provisional gap, not a settled blindspot finding."},"sourceFactualityDistribution":{"veryLow":1,"low":1,"mixed":5,"high":1},"ownershipDistribution":{"mediaConglomerate":3,"billionaire":2,"independent":2,"other":1},"firstDatedReport":{"sourceName":"New York Post","url":"https://nypost.com/2026/09/24/us-news/us-military-spending-500m-on-war-ready-laser-weapons-experts","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T10:00:00.000Z"},"countries":[{"country":"New York, New York, United States","count":1},{"country":"Camarillo, Ventura County, California, United States","count":1},{"country":"New Delhi, Delhi, India, India","count":1},{"country":"Mumbai, Konkan Division, Maharashtra, India","count":1},{"country":"Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India, India","count":1}],"outlets":[{"name":"New York Post","url":"https://nypost.com/2026/09/24/us-news/us-military-spending-500m-on-war-ready-laser-weapons-experts","headline":"US military spending $500M on ‘war-ready’ laser weapons — and zapping drones in Iran, along US border: experts","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T10:00:00.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"leanRight","factualityRating":"mixed","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"New York, New York, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"RedState","url":"https://redstate.com/wardclark/2026/09/24/invisible-american-lasers-now-destroying-iranian-weapons-and-infrastructure-n2207333","headline":"Invisible American Lasers Now Destroying Iranian Weapons and Infrastructure","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T11:29:05.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"right","factualityRating":"mixed","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Camarillo, Ventura County, California, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"PJ Media","url":"https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2026/09/24/thats-right-were-shooting-down-enemy-drones-with-fricken-laser-beams-n4957608","headline":"That's Right: We're Shooting Down Enemy Drones With Fricken Laser Beams","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T15:28:00.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"farRight","factualityRating":"low","angle":null,"isOpinion":true,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"NDTV","url":"https://ndtv.com/world-news/us-iran-war-weapons-news-us-deploying-laser-weapons-in-hormuz-that-can-be-operated-with-xbox-console-12093870","headline":"US Deploying Laser Weapons In Hormuz That Can Be Operated With Xbox Console: Report","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T16:05:22.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"leanRight","factualityRating":"mixed","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"New Delhi, Delhi, India, India","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"Latestly","url":"https://latestly.com/world/laser-weapon-operated-using-xbox-controllers-deployed-by-us-military-in-strait-of-hormuz-report-7619202.html","headline":"Laser Weapon Operated Using Xbox Controllers Deployed by US Military in Strait of Hormuz: Report | 🌎 LatestLY","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T16:37:03.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"right","factualityRating":"mixed","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Mumbai, Konkan Division, Maharashtra, India","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"news-pravda.com","url":"https://news-pravda.com/world/2026/09/24/2617837.html","headline":"The US military shoots down drones with a laser:","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T16:43:47.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"right","factualityRating":"veryLow","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"India TV News","url":"https://indiatvnews.com/news/world/us-military-reportedly-considers-xbox-style-controls-for-laser-weapons-in-strait-of-hormuz-2026-09-24-1055215","headline":"From Xbox to battlefield? US military reportedly considers gaming-style controls for laser weapons in Hormuz","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T17:28:42.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"leanRight","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India, India","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"Interfax.ru","url":"https://interfax.ru/world/1118346","headline":"The United States Deployed Laser Installations on Ships in the Strait of Ormous","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T21:25:00.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"leanRight","factualityRating":"mixed","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null}]},"assessment":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"citation":{"recommended":"MediaBias News, \"US military deploys laser weapons in Strait of Hormuz\", https://mediabias.news/conflict/us-military-deploys-laser-weapons-in-strait-of-hormuz","canonicalUrl":"https://mediabias.news/conflict/us-military-deploys-laser-weapons-in-strait-of-hormuz","instructions":["Cite and link the canonical article URL, not the API, markdown mirror, homepage, or an original outlet URL.","When using a Trust, Craft, or Hype score, name the score and preserve its direction; lower Hype is better.","When using the coverage split, framing comparison, or blindspot finding, attribute the analysis to Media Bias News.","Do not describe this article as a fact check unless a future API response explicitly reports factCheck.status as performed."]},"links":{"canonical":"https://mediabias.news/conflict/us-military-deploys-laser-weapons-in-strait-of-hormuz","json":"https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/us-military-deploys-laser-weapons-in-strait-of-hormuz","markdown":"https://mediabias.news/conflict/us-military-deploys-laser-weapons-in-strait-of-hormuz.md","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology"}}}