Ukraine Unveils Laser Weapon That Can Down Cruise, Ballistic Missiles

Ukraine has unveiled the country’s first laser weapon system, the Tryzub.

Acquisition of the weapon was announced in December. However, the first video of the system from a field trial was released during a recent conference attended by senior Ukrainian military officers.

The video reportedly shows the prototype striking a ground target and disrupting the camera of a fiber-optic first-person view drone, demonstrating both kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities.

Its targeting was apparently performed manually with a joystick rather than automatically, a feature likely to be added at a later stage.

One of the conference attendees, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces Vadym Sukharevskyi, claimed in February that the system had been operationally deployed.

He said that the Tryzub was capable of engaging targets to an altitude of 2 kilometers (1.24 miles).

Stated Features

Sharing further details at the conference, Sukharevskyi said the system could engage aerial targets, such as fixed and rotary-winged aircraft and drones, at a range of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles).

He also said that the domestically-developed system could engage cruise and ballistic missiles from a range of 3 kilometers (1.86 miles).

For blinding or disorienting an aircraft or drone, it has a range of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), the commander added.

No details regarding the system’s developers were shared. However, it was reportedly developed in a few months and is undergoing tests.

Details of the weapon’s power range and platform were also not disclosed.

“I am supporting this project so that with the help of technological solutions, we can effectively shoot down enemy reconnaissance drones and ensure the defense of strategic facilities and places of residence of our population,” Sukharevskyi said.

He also hinted at the future possibility of mobile air defense units equipped with laser systems rather than machine guns.