An apparatus includes a splitter configured to split a laser beam into a plurality of beamlets, a phase modulator array optically coupled to the splitter and operative to produce phase differences between the beamlets, phase modulation electronics operably coupled to the phase modulator and configured to control an operation of the phase modulator array, a multicore photonic crystal fiber amplifier, the multicore photonic crystal fiber amplifier configured to amplify the beamlets output by the phase modulator array, thereby producing an amplified laser beam at an output thereof, and a waveguide optically coupled between an output of the phase modulator array and an input of the multicore photonic crystal fiber amplifier.