The U.S. Navy on Wednesday announced it successfully tested its first laser weapon aboard the USS Ponce in the Persian Gulf.

Testing on the laser weapon system, dubbed LaWS by the Navy, took place from September to November aboard the Austin-class amphibious transport dock.

Implementation of the weapon was not only historic, a release from the Navy said, but it also proved such a system could be "operated seamlessly with existing ship defense systems."

"Laser weapons are powerful, affordable and will play a vital role in the future of naval combat operations," said Rear Adm. Matthew L. Klunder, chief of naval research. "We ran this particular weapon, a prototype, through some extremely tough paces, and it locked on and destroyed the targets we designated with near-instantaneous lethality."

During the tests, the LaWS struck targets on a small, speeding boat and shot an unmanned aerial vehicle out of the sky.

"Sailors worked daily with LaWS over several months since it was installed, and reported the weapon performed flawlessly, including in adverse weather conditions of high winds, heat and humidity. They noted the system exceeded expectations for both reliability and maintainability," the release said.

After proving the weapon can be used and installed within existing defense systems, the Navy said it plans to push the development of other laser prototypes that can be installed on guided-missile destroyers and the Littoral Combat Ship by the early 2020s.

Watch LaWS in action: