According to the Russian website Avia Pro, the Russian army has tested its laser weapon system called Peresvet (Пересвет in Russia) in Syria. The new Russian-made laser weapon could have shot down an Israeli UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in the southwestern part of Syria.
Russian armed forces continue to test different types of new weapon systems and combat vehicles in Syria. Recently, it was reported the T-14 Armata was deployed in Syria as well as new demining robots.
The Russian Mobile Laser Weapon Peresvet high energy laser weapon system was unveiled by Russian President Putin in March 2018. In July 2018, the Russian Ministry of Defense has released a video showing the new mobile laser weapon defense system Peresvet. In December 2019, the first regiment with Avangard missiles and Peresvet lasers went on combat duty.
In January 2020, the Russian press agency has announced that Russian armed forces have planned to conclude in 2020, the Research & Development (R&D) to develop a tactical laser to destroy drones and lightly protected surface targets for the Ground, Aerospace Forces, and the Navy.
The R&D to create an automatic optical-electronic laser jammer against monitoring and aiming means is to be completed in 2020 for the Ground Forces. Work is ongoing to create powerful lasers of various types. The capabilities of Peresvet laser weapon are being expanded. It will be carried by aircraft or mounted on a ship in the coming years.
The Russian-made system looks very similar to the laser weapon system AN/SEQ-3 Laser or XN-1 LaWS developed by the U.S. Navy.
The Peresvet seems to be based on an infrared beam from a solid-state laser array that can be tuned to high output to destroy the target or low output to warn or cripple the sensors of a target. The whole system is mounted at the rear of a trailer towed by a KamAZ 65225 6×6 truck chassis. This laser weapon is able to destroy UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), cruise missiles, and other aerial targets flying at low altitude.
Photo:Russian MoD
Source: Army Recognition