Laser technology is now being used to target and destroy Russian drones, including Shahed UAVs. This places Ukraine among a select group of nations deploying next-generation defense technology.
“We can now shoot down aircraft at altitudes of more than 2 kilometers (1.2 miles),”
said Vadym Sukharevskyi, Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces. In a recent interview with Radio Svoboda, he revealed that Ukraine has become one of the few countries capable of using laser technology in combat.
Ukraine is currently testing a domestically developed laser weapon called Tryzub, named after the country’s trident symbol.
The Tryzub laser is a directed energy weapon (DEW), comparable to other advanced systems like the US LaWS and the UK DragonFire. It has demonstrated an effective range of over 2 kilometers.
DEW weapons use concentrated energy—like lasers or microwaves—to target and damage objects by heating or disrupting them. They travel at the speed of light, allowing them to hit fast-moving threats like drones almost instantly. This enables precise attacks without the need for physical projectiles.
Though still in development, Ukrainian specialists are working to enhance and scale up the laser’s capabilities.
Source: United 24 Media