Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteSome links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
The underlying event is real, but the headline is overstated. USS Preble (DDG-88) reportedly used its shipboard HELIOS directed-energy system to neutralize four drone threats during a U.S. Navy-operated counter-UAS demonstration at sea. Public evidence does not show that this was combat, that the targets formed a large coordinated swarm, or that every drone was literally “vaporized.”
What happened aboard USS Preble?
The ship was USS Preble (DDG-88), a Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer. Its weapon was Mk 5 Mod 0 HELIOS, Lockheed Martin’s shipboard high-energy laser system.
According to a secondary report citing Lockheed Martin’s reported Q4 2025 corporate disclosure, HELIOS neutralized four drone threats during a Navy-operated, at-sea counter-UAS demonstration reportedly conducted in 2025. The claim is significant, but it should be described as a test or demonstration—not as a confirmed combat engagement. The public report does not provide the exact date, location, drone types, range, weather, dwell times, or target-by-target damage assessments.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
What the dramatic headline gets wrong
- “Swarm”: Four targets demonstrate a multi-drone scenario, but the available account does not establish a large, coordinated swarm attack.
- “Vaporizes”: That is headline language, not a verified technical description. A laser can blind sensors, damage a component, force a loss of control, or physically damage an airframe.
- “Combat”: No public evidence reviewed establishes that an enemy attacked the ship. This was a Navy-run demonstration.
- “Unlimited ammunition”: Lasers do not require a missile reload for every engagement, but their firing capacity remains limited by electrical power, cooling, beam control, tracking, and engagement-channel availability.
What is HELIOS?
HELIOS stands for High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-Dazzler and Surveillance. It is designed as an integrated shipboard system rather than merely a powerful light source.
#1 Best Overall
- Presenter mode, built-in Class 2 red laser pointer for presentations, intuitive touch-keys for easy slideshow control. AAA batteries required (best with Polaroid AAA batteries)
- Bright red laser light - Easy to see against most backgrounds, works as a pointer clicker for presentation and clicker for powerpoint presentations
- Up to 50-foot wireless range for freedom to move around the room
- There's no software to install. Just plug the receiver into a USB port to begin. This power point clicker wireless solution makes presentations easy, and you can store the receiver in the presentation remote after use.
- 2.4GHz RF wireless technology, built-in docking bay stores receiver for easy pack up and portability; works well as a presenter clicker wireless or computer clicker for presentations.
The Navy describes HELIOS as combining several functions:
- Hard kill: concentrating laser energy on a target long enough to damage or destroy a critical part.
- Soft kill: dazzling or degrading electro-optical and infrared sensors so a drone can no longer observe, navigate, or complete its mission.
- Surveillance and assessment: supporting identification, tracking, and battle-damage assessment.
Its intended target set includes unmanned aerial vehicles, small boats and fast inshore attack craft, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance sensors. NAVSEA’s description of the system is available on its website. Lockheed Martin’s product material describes HELIOS as a 60-kW-plus system for countering unmanned aircraft and fast inshore attack craft.
“60 kW” refers to the system’s approximate laser-power class. It does not mean that every target receives 60 kilowatts at the airframe. Atmospheric losses, beam quality, range, pointing accuracy, target motion, and dwell time all affect the energy that reaches a vulnerable component.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →How does a shipboard laser defeat a drone?
A useful shorthand is:
Detect → track → point → dwell → damage → assess.
Rank #2
- 【PLUG & PLAY】This presentation clicker supports page up/down, hyperlink navigation, volume control, power on/off, and full screen/black screen switching. No software or driver is required, just plug the USB receiver into your computer's USB port and you're ready to start the show (Requires one AAA battery, not included)
- 【BRIGHT RED POINTER LIGHT】This powerpoint clicker emits a bright red light that helps you clearly mark key parts of each slide so your audience can easily follow your main points. It remains clearly visible even in large conference rooms or lecture halls
- 【328FT LONG WIRELESS RANGE】This clicker for PowerPoint presentations delivers a control distance of up to 328 ft, allowing you to roam the entire hall and interact directly with your audience. Step away from the limits of a stationary podium to deliver a more dynamic presentation
- 【BROAD COMPATIBILITY】This wireless presenter remote works smoothly across different systems and software, compatible with Mac OS and Windows laptops. It supports software such as PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, Excel, ACDSee, and Prezi
- 【PORTABLE SLIDE CLICKER】This presentation pointer includes a convenient clip that attaches to a notebook or pocket for easy carrying. It is a helpful tool for meetings, classrooms, training sessions, and presentations, and it is also suitable for sharing with colleagues and friends
- The destroyer’s sensors detect and track the drone.
- The combat-system architecture identifies and prioritizes the threat.
- The HELIOS director points toward the target while compensating for ship movement.
- Beam-control systems keep the laser concentrated on a selected area.
- The beam remains on that area for the required dwell time, heating a sensor, motor, battery, control surface, or structural component.
- The system determines whether the target has been neutralized or destroyed.
This process is not normally equivalent to firing an instantaneous bullet. A sensor may be disabled without the drone breaking apart. A motor or flight-control component may be damaged, causing a crash. The word neutralized can therefore cover effects that range from a mission kill to physical destruction. The public account does not identify the exact mechanism used against each of the four drones.
Why the demonstration matters
The Navy is seeking alternatives to using expensive interceptors against relatively inexpensive drones. A laser could offer a potentially lower-cost engagement option, rapid retargeting, and repeated shots without expending a conventional missile for every target. Navy testimony has discussed the cost imbalance between defensive missiles and lower-cost unmanned threats.
The more important achievement is integration. A useful shipboard laser must work with the destroyer’s sensors, combat systems, operators, training, maintenance procedures, cybersecurity controls, and power systems. The Navy’s FY2024 budget documentation identifies Mk 5 Mod 0 HELIOS on USS Preble and includes funding for operation, sustainment, repair parts, cybersecurity, software upgrades, hardware modifications, and training updates.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
That makes the test more meaningful than a laboratory demonstration, while still falling short of proving routine fleet-wide deployment.
Rank #3
- 【PLUG & PLAY】 The clicker pointer for presentations is easy to use, just plug the usb receiver and it is ready to go, no need to download any software. (The USB fits into the bottom of the clicker. )
- 【PRESENTATION CLICKER FEATURE】Presentation remote supports various functions:Page Forward/ Backward, Volume Control, Hyperlink, Switch Windows, Full/Black Screen.It is an efficient presentation tool for daily presentations
- 【BRIGHT RED POINTER & 100FT LONG WIRELESS RANGE】 Powerpoint presentation clicker with bright red light that is easy to see against most backgrounds ((Not Recommended for LCD/LED/TV Screens);Wireless range of powerpoint presenter up to 100 foot, free to move around even in a large room
- 【WITH SUPERIOR DETAILS】 ①One-piece magnetic usb storage, not easy to lose the usb ②Soft and rubber buttons ③Compact design & Space save and comfortable grip ④ Bumped-buttons design for easy slideshow control.⑤Operated by 1xAAA battery(Not included), with energy-saving auto-sleep function, one battery can be used for weeks
HELIOS is not the same as ODIN
HELIOS is sometimes confused with other naval directed-energy systems. The Navy distinguishes it from ODIN, which is primarily described as an optical-dazzler system intended to interfere with sensors. HELIOS includes a high-energy laser intended for physical effects as well as an optical-dazzler function.
Both systems belong to the Navy’s broader directed-energy effort, but a successful test of one should not automatically be presented as a performance claim for the other. HELIOS also follows earlier naval laser experiments, including the Laser Weapon System deployed aboard USS Ponce; those predecessors are important context but are not interchangeable with the Preble-mounted system.
The limitations that the headline leaves out
Weather and the atmosphere
Rain, fog, humidity, dust, smoke, aerosols, and other atmospheric conditions can reduce beam propagation and complicate sensing. Atmospheric turbulence can distort the beam and make it harder to hold energy on a small moving target. Performance in clear test conditions should not be generalized to every maritime environment.
Tracking and beam control
The laser must maintain precise aim against a moving drone while the ship itself moves through waves. The Navy has explicitly identified atmospheric turbulence, clutter, tracking, targeting, and beam control as technical challenges. A laser’s nominal power is therefore only one part of its effectiveness.
Rank #4
- Presentation Clicker with Laser Pointer: PowerPoint clicker controls range:98FT/30M, laser pointer range: 328FT/100M. Clicker for laptop presentations allows you to circulate through the room instead of being tied by the laptop and projector screen to make emphasis on important points
- Ergonomic Design: Wireless presentation clicker for PowerPoint presentations has an ergonomic design that makes you soft touch and comfortable to grip, and presentation pointers' buttons are big enough that you won't accidentally click the wrong one
- Plug and Play: No installation needed, no assembly or hard instructions to follow. Just plug and play. You simply plug the USB receiver into your computer and start using the laser pointer for presentations. The USB dongle slips into a slot on the PPT remote control handle when not in use
- Widely Compatible: Wireless presenter with laser pointer works with desktop and laptop computers. Presentation remote supports systems: Windows 2003, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, Mac OS, Linux. Wireless presenter remote supports softwares: Google Slides, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint/PPT, etc
- Long Battery Life: Presenter remote just uses two AAA batteries(included), which is convenient because then you don't have to buy odd size batteries. Power point remote clicker is sturdy enough to throw in a briefcase or bag. Tips: Slide clicker has an on/off switch on the side to save the battery when not in use
Dwell time and target behavior
The system may need to hold the beam on a vulnerable point for a period of time. The required dwell depends on range, target construction, angle, movement, and the desired effect. A drone designed with redundant systems, heat-resistant materials, reflective surfaces, decoys, or erratic maneuvering could be more difficult to defeat than a small commercial-style quadcopter.
Power and cooling
A ship must provide electrical power and remove waste heat. These requirements limit how long and how intensely the system can operate. The lack of a conventional ammunition reload lowers one logistical burden; it does not make the weapon operationally free or inexhaustible.
Saturation attacks
Lasers may be able to retarget quickly, but a ship still has finite tracking capacity, beam-director availability, dwell time, power, and cooling. Multiple drones approaching simultaneously from different directions could stress the entire sensor-and-engagement chain. This is why a laser is best understood as one layer of an air-defense system, not a universal replacement for missiles.
What the public record still does not tell us
The available reporting leaves several important questions unanswered:
Best Value
- 【USB-A & USB-C Built-in Receiver – One for All Devices】No more dongles or adapter hunting. This presentation clicker features a receiver with both USB-A and USB-C connectors built right in. Whether you have a new Mac with Type C ports or an old PC with USB A, it works instantly – just plug and present. Perfect for presentation clicker usb c users.
- 【Plug & Play – No Software, No Setup】Simply plug the 2.4GHz receiver into your computer’s USB port and you're ready. This clicker for powerpoint presentations requires no driver or software installation. It works seamlessly with Mac OS, Windows, Linux, and supports PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, and Prezi. Ideal as a computer clicker for presentations.
- 【Bright Red Light Pointer + Long Wireless Range】The bright red light pointer helps you highlight key content on any slide – visible even in large conference halls (pointer distance up to 100M). With a wireless control range of up to 100ft (30M) , this wireless presenter lets you walk freely and interact with your audience. A true slide advancer for dynamic talks.
- 【Full Function Control & Ergonomic Comfort】This powerpoint clicker gives you complete command: Page Up/Down, Full Screen / Black Screen, Volume Increase/Decrease, and Switch Windows. The ergonomic body with soft touch oil coating and contoured keys fits naturally in your hand – your show stays smooth even in a dark room. Also works as a pointer clicker for presentation.
- 【Low Power Consumption & Magnetic Receiver Storage】 Powered by 2x AAA batteries (not included), this presenter clicker wireless features intelligent low power consumption with auto sleep technology – 30+ days standby time on a single set of batteries. A magnetic slot at the bottom securely holds the receiver – never lose your USB A & USB C receiver again. Ideal for wireless presentation clicker users who value energy efficiency.
- What were the exact date and location of the demonstration?
- What models, sizes, speeds, and flight profiles did the drones have?
- Were all four targets physically destroyed, or were some dazzled or otherwise mission-killed?
- What were the engagement ranges and laser dwell times?
- What were the weather, visibility, and atmospheric conditions?
- How many targets were tracked or engaged simultaneously?
- Did the demonstration use the ship’s complete operational combat-system chain?
- Did the result lead to a formal decision for routine operational deployment?
Until the Navy or contractor releases those details, claims about exact range, “instant” destruction, unlimited simultaneous engagements, or combat readiness go beyond the evidence.
What this test proves—and what it does not
The reported event is a credible and meaningful milestone for naval directed energy: a destroyer-mounted HELIOS system reportedly neutralized four drone threats in an at-sea Navy demonstration. It shows that the Navy is moving beyond shore-based experiments and working on the difficult problems of shipboard integration and counter-UAS operations.
It does not prove that a large enemy swarm was destroyed in combat, that every drone was vaporized, or that lasers have replaced missiles. The practical significance is narrower and more useful: HELIOS is being evaluated as a potentially lower-cost, repeatable layer in a ship’s defenses against selected drones and other nearby threats, alongside electronic warfare, guns, interceptors, and missiles.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesQuick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
