This is why just adding more VLS cells isn't the only answer. More is needed.

Absolutely agree. We would need some SeaWhiz, and expandability for counter-drone weapons (that may not yet exist), likely fitting into a VLS cell. Known technologies, for the most part. You wouldn't want to rely on vaporware that may, or may not, ever exist (or at least within a relevant timeframe to deploy on ships within the next five years).

So, that is why their laser program is getting my interest.

Interest, sure. And keep developing it so that we can mount an effective one on a destroyer-sized ship. Absolutely. But don't rely on a weapon system that is not yet deployable. You don't want a ship ready to launch that doesn't have a working weapons system (other than the VLS, which is fully-known and deployed tech). If it isn't capable of being mounted on a DDG, it's not useful. At least not yet.

I could "solve" the drone problem right now. Mount EMP. Blasts of EMP will fry any and all electronics on drones. But we don't have one powerful enough to do that (to my knowledge) that is portable enough to be field-deployable. So...I didn't really solve it.