The US Navy has announced that it is moving ahead with plans to deploy the first ever combat laser weapon. Late this summer, USS Ponce -- a fairly unextraordinary amphibious ship -- will be outfitted with the Laser Weapon System (LaWS). LaWS will be put through some at-sea testing in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf, after which it will be capable of shooting down drones or disabling small attack boats (including suicide bombing missions) at an energy cost of just $1 per shot. Rather fittingly for a futuristic weapons system, LaWS will be fired using a 'video game-like controller.'