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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT
REPORT PURSUANT
TO SECTION
13 OR 15(D) OF THE
SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event
reported) October 8, 2026
APPLIED ENERGETICS, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
| 001-14015 |
|
77-0262908 |
| (Commission File Number) |
|
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
| 9070 S Rita Road, Suite 1500, Tucson, Arizona |
|
85747 |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) |
|
(Zip Code) |
(520) 628-7415
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including
Area Code)
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since
Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form
8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General
Instruction A.2. below):
| ☐ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities
Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange
Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b)
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c)
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company: ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by
check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting
standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Securities registered pursuant to Section
12(b) of the Act: None
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g)
of the Exchange Act:
| Title of Each Class |
|
Trading Symbol(s) |
|
Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered |
| Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share |
|
AERG |
|
OTCQB |
Item 8.01 – Other Events.
On October 8, 2026, Applied Energetics, Inc. announced
major performance improvements to its ultrashort pulse laser capabilities, successfully validating a next-generation architecture that
delivers higher power and significantly improved beam quality, all as more fully described in the press release filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
| 99.1 |
|
Press Release, dated October 8, 2026 -- Applied Energetics Next-Generation Laser Architecture Delivers Enhanced Power and Dramatic Beam Quality Improvements, Advancing Longer-Range Counter-Drone Capabilities and Paving the Way for Backpackable Directed Energy Systems |
| |
|
|
| 104 |
|
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto
duly authorized.
| |
APPLIED ENERGETICS, INC. |
| |
|
|
| |
By: |
/s/ Christopher Donaghey |
| |
|
Christopher Donaghey |
| |
|
President and |
| |
|
Chief Executive Officer |
| |
|
|
| Date: October 9, 2026 |
|
|
Exhibit 99.1
Applied Energetics Next-Generation Laser
Architecture Delivers Enhanced Power and Dramatic Beam Quality Improvements, Advancing Longer-Range Counter-Drone Capabilities and Paving
the Way for Backpackable Directed Energy Systems
Major Performance Improvements Unlock New
Levels of Power, Precision and Portability
TUCSON, AZ / ACCESS Newswire / October
8, 2026 / Applied Energetics, Inc. (OTCQB: AERG), a leader in ultrashort-pulse laser and directed energy technologies, today announced
major performance improvements to its ultrashort pulse laser capabilities, successfully validating a next-generation architecture that
delivers higher power and significantly improved beam quality.
This milestone marks a pivotal advancement
for Applied Energetics, demonstrating performance improvements that the company believes can dramatically expand the capabilities, versatility
and operational potential of its proprietary ultrashort-pulse laser technology for its C-sUAS and C-ISR applications.
By combining increased power with substantially
improved beam quality, the new architecture enables more effective delivery of laser energy over greater distances. These advances are
expected to materially extend the effective range of systems designed to counter Group 1 and Group 2 drones, addressing one of the most
urgent and rapidly evolving challenges facing national security organizations.
In another significant development, the architecture
supports the technical viability of backpackable laser systems, creating the potential for powerful, highly mobile directed energy capabilities
in applications where portability and rapid deployment are mission critical.
“This is a defining moment in the evolution
of our technology,” said Chris Donaghey, President and CEO of Applied Energetics. “We have achieved a powerful combination
of higher laser output and significantly improved beam quality, two critical factors in extending effective range and expanding operational
capabilities. These results validate the strength of our technology platform and reinforce our confidence in its potential to deliver
a new generation of directed energy solutions.”
Importantly, Applied Energetics is already
translating this breakthrough into tangible progress.
The company is constructing the first prototypes
of two systems built around the new architecture: an extended-range counter-drone system designed to address Group 1 and Group 2 threats,
and a backpackable laser system intended for select national security applications.
“What makes this achievement especially
exciting is that we are moving beyond architectural validation and into the construction of systems designed to demonstrate these capabilities,”
Donaghey continued. “We believe we are entering one of the most promising phases of our technology development. With two distinct
systems advancing simultaneously, we see tremendous potential to expand the applications of our technology and address increasingly critical
national security requirements.”
The rapidly expanding use of small, low-cost
drones has fundamentally changed the threat environment, creating growing demand for effective, adaptable and scalable counter-drone solutions.
Applied Energetics is developing its ultrashort-pulse laser technology to address these emerging requirements with capabilities designed
for a wide range of operational environments.
With a major technology milestone achieved,
significant performance gains demonstrated and two prototype systems now under construction, Applied Energetics is building meaningful
momentum toward its next generation of directed energy capabilities. To maximize this momentum, the company remains focused on a structured
timeline of continuous testing and iterative validation to fully optimize the power outputs and long-range precision achieved thus far.
The company believes these advancements represent
an important step forward in realizing the broader potential of its technology and strengthening its position in the evolving directed
energy landscape.
Applied Energetics will be attending the Association of the United
States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting & Exposition at the Walter E Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC. October 12-14, 2026.
About Applied Energetics
Applied Energetics, Inc. is a defense technology company specializing
in optical fiber-based ultrashort pulse laser (USPL) weapon systems. Engineered for next-generation Counter-small unmanned aerial systems
(C-sUAS) mission sets and layered air defense, the company’s high-intensity directed-energy weapons (DEW) are designed to disable
or destroy critical ISR sensors on Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), AI-driven drone swarms, and autonomous robotic platforms across ground,
air, and orbital domains. Backed by a proprietary IP portfolio of 26 patents and 6 pending, the company’s inherently scalable architecture
delivers orders-of-magnitude reductions in size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) compared to legacy continuous-wave (CW) systems. This
dual-use technology directly supports Scaled Directed Energy (SCADE), one of the Department of War’s six critical technology areas,
and positions Applied Energetics for defense prime integration, joint ventures, and commercialization.
Today, AE’s USPL technologies are being designed to offer flexibility,
scale, and power, enhancing layered defense strategies to counter emerging threats. As autonomous weapons and robotic warfare increasingly
define the battlefield, the ability to defeat sensors within a layered architecture will be critical and it is central to AE’s mission
to deliver high-reliability solutions against present and emerging autonomous, AI, and robotic threats.
For more information about Applied Energetics and its innovative technologies,
please visit www.appliedenergetics.com.
Applied Energetics, Inc. Investor information contact:
Kevin McGrath, Managing Director
Cameron Associates, Inc.
kevin@cameronassoc.com
T: 646-418-7002
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking
statements include all statements that do not relate solely to the historical or current facts and can be identified by the use of forward-looking
words such as “may,” “believe,” “will,” “expect,” “project,” “anticipate,”
“estimates,” “plans,” “strategy,” “target,” “prospects,” or “continue,”
and words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are based on the current plans and expectations of our management and are
subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could significantly affect our current plans and expectations, as well as future results
of operations and financial condition and may cause our actual results, performances or achievements to be materially different from any
future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. We do not assume any obligation
to update these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting such
forward-looking statements.
SOURCE: Applied Energetics, Inc.
