NEWS AND ANALYSIS: The U.S. military is moving rapidly to build and deploy advanced laser weapons after years of the defense industry failing to pursue directed energy arms, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress on Wednesday. Mr. Hegseth testified before the House Armed Services Committee on the Pentagon’s record $1.5 trillion defense budget for fiscal 2027 and said the military needs to be armed with hundreds of directed energy weapons. Mr. Hegseth disclosed in a prepared statement on