It seems this institute will focus on lasers as manufacturing tools, so it will be not active in the field of POET.
I have no idea where are the limits of power generated by VCELS, but I guess - at least at the moment - the power is too low for these applications.
Remember that also in these LASER defence systems LaWS POET can / will be used to detect and to follow targets, - the "work" will be done by high power gas lasers with 50 - 150 kW...