Ukraine could receive combat laser systems within the next few months
Andriy Lebedenko, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, announced during a briefing that Ukraine is continuing to develop its own combat laser systems for engaging aerial targets. According to him, both specialists from the Ukrainian Armed Forces and private Ukrainian companies are working on the project.
Lebedenko noted that the system is already capable of engaging FPV drones and is currently being tested for its ability to counter ‘Shahed’-type attack drones.
“It is already capable of shooting down FPV drones and is currently working on the ‘Shaheds’. And this is the story for the next two or three months. We will have the same capabilities, which will allow us to engage aerial attack vehicles even more effectively than machine guns,” he said.
The Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces described the development of combat laser technologies as one of the most promising areas for strengthening Ukraine’s air defence.
“This is indeed a promising area, and today we are succeeding in all of this,” emphasised Lebedenko.
It was previously reported that the Ukrainian company Celebra Tech is finalising trials of the upgraded ‘Trizub’ laser system, which has been integrated into a mobile anti-drone system. According to available information, the system is capable of engaging drones at a range of up to 5 kilometres.
There are also reports of the development of the Sunray laser system, which is mounted on a pick-up truck and designed to counter drones.
Meanwhile, various countries around the world have already announced trials of combat lasers. The practical effectiveness of such systems remains a subject of debate. In particular, analysts at the RAND Corporation have previously expressed critical views regarding their use in real combat conditions.
