Named Tryzub after the golden trident used as a national symbol of Ukraine, Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi states that the new weapon has a range of over two kilometers.
Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi, Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, made an interesting revelation on Dec. 16, 2024 at a European Defense Industry conference: “Ukraine has laser weaponry called ‘Trident.’ We can state that today, Ukraine is, if I’m not mistaken, the fifth country that can claim to have a laser. As of now, we can use this laser to shoot down aircraft at altitudes of over 2 kilometers”.
No further details were revealed regarding the weapon, including no information about whether it was an entirely domestic effort, or based on information or technology supplied by other nations. As Sukharevskyi mentioned, Ukraine would be the next of several nations to have already developed, and in some cases actively fielded, laser-based weapons.
Laser weaponry, though in relatively early stages of development, would nonetheless allow the ability to mount a defense against small, inexpensive threats like drones, bombs, rockets and some types of missiles without expending valuable single-use interception munitions. These munitions can then be reserved for higher tier threats that laser systems are currently unable to reliably defeat, like aircraft at altitude or larger missiles.
With numerous reports of ammunition shortages among Ukrainian forces, a new defensive weapon that only requires electricity as ammunition would be very welcome.
Based on a two kilometer range, the Tryzub appears to be of a similar power level to the British DragonFire laser. It has previously been suggested that DragonFire could be provided to Ukraine to test it in real world scenarios, but no official announcements have been made regarding such a transfer. The British government even specifically denied that the laser weapon was part of a recent aid package, but this theoretically does not preclude it, or its technology, from having been included in others or in a bespoke deal.
At the same conference, Sukharevskyi also commented on efforts to develop a drone ‘mothership’ that would be able to carry swarms of smaller drones over 70 km and then function as a control relay, allowing for deeper strikes. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has become a clear example of the changes small unmanned aircraft have brought to modern battlefields, and Ukraine has become a particular pioneer of their use. Attacks by drones many hundreds of kilometers from the frontlines have damaged or destroyed high value targets, such as Su-57 Felon fighter aircraft.
Colonel Sukharevskyi himself was promoted to his role commanding the unmanned forces, which was created as a whole new branch of the Ukrainian armed forces, in June 2024. He is a high-profile appointment, awarded the Hero of Ukraine decoration in 2022. The unit he commanded in 2014 as a Lieutenant was the first in the Ukrainian military to open fire on Russian forces during the Donbas war.
Laser Weapons in Service
The first known operational deployment of a laser weapon began in 2014 on board the USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15) while deployed to the Persian Gulf. While the deployment was still used primarily as an evaluation of the system, it was authorized for use as a defensive weapon against threats including small manned and unmanned aircraft, and boats.
A scaled-up operational variant of LaWS known as HELIOS is still in development, currently installed on USS Preble (DDG-88). Meanwhile, a number of other Arleigh Burke class destroyers have been fitted with the AN/SEQ-4 Optical Dazzling Interdictor or ODIN. ODIN is not powerful enough to completely destroy drones, but is intended to target the optical sensors of hostile targets and disable or destroy those, effectively a mission kill.
Israel intends to deploy a laser system known as Iron Beam by October 2025. This will work alongside Israel’s existing and famed Iron Dome counter rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) system and negate the possibility of being overwhelmed by swarm attacks that deplete missile ammunition before it can be reloaded. Some online reports suggested Iron Beam had already been used operationally during rocket barrages in October 2023, but the videos appear to instead show lens flares and clouds being lit up by explosions. There has been no confirmed operational use thus far.
Israel’s in development high-powered laser interception system, dubbed Iron Beam, is expected to be operational within a year, the director general of the Defense Ministry says.
“The first capability of the ground laser system… is expected to enter operational service in a… pic.twitter.com/M427tsHuoV
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 28, 2024
A less powerful system, Light Blade, has been used to destroy balloons which have been used to carry incendiary bombs into Israel. This type of use case requires a relatively weak laser – popping balloons at a short range is even possible with inexpensive consumer grade laser pointers.
South Korea commissioned its first operational laser system on Oct. 4, 2024, with a reported power of 20 kW. The system will reportedly be deployed to frontline units and around the capital city of Seoul, adding a new defensive layer to shield against incursions by North Korea. North Korean balloons have caused mass disruption in the South over the past year leading to counter-incursions by South Korean drones that dropped leaflets over Pyongyang. Kim Jong Un, Supreme Leader of North Korea, has recently ordered the mass production of explosive-laden drones.
Republic of Korea Armed Forces is going big on high energy #laser (#HEL) systems, having commissioned into service its ‘Cheongwang’/Sky Light air defence system on 4 October on the sidelines of #KADEX2024. #HanwhaAerospace also unveiled a suite of mobile and fixed HEL systems. pic.twitter.com/yRaNWXKwB0
— Kelvin Wong (@PENxSWORD) October 5, 2024
Across in Japan, a 10 kW laser system mounted on an 8×8 truck chassis was revealed by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force on Dec. 2, 2024. This, again, is designed primarily to serve in a counter-UAS (C-UAS) capacity.
Relatively little is known about the fielded capabilities of countries like Russia and China in this area, although presumably they are at least comparable to those known to have been developed elsewhere. Russia is still, in theory, publicly committed to the Sokol-Eshelon system that was in development by the Soviet Union before pausing until 2012. This aircraft-mounted laser is designed to blind satellites in Earth orbit. It is a similar concept to the more well known Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser missile defense project.
China’s Silent Hunter laser system appears to have been operationally deployed by Saudi Arabia and Iran, but few revelations have appeared about China’s own use of the weapon.
Besides the Patriot engagement, Chinese made “Silent Hunter” used its laser to shoot down one or probably more Kamikaze drone. Besdies that, Rheinmetall’s Skyguard shot down 31 Kamikaze drones in a single day.
Houthis fucked up Saudi airspace that dayhttps://t.co/6DyjnIJLdk https://t.co/4xo2ncWjeF pic.twitter.com/J6VCDk0I4G
— Doha (@Doha104p3) February 5, 2024
Similar to the U.S. Navy, the Chinese Navy (People’s Liberation Army Navy) has been noted testing a number of apparent directed energy weapons on its warships. Reports from the Philippines have also revealed the active use of laser dazzlers by Chinese ships in the disputed South China Sea.
As the technology matures, and as newer ships and aircraft are built from the outset to provide the power requirements that laser systems need, laser defenses will almost certainly become as ubiquitous as gun and missile systems are today. The latter will likely still have their place, but laser systems will provide an extra layer and extra level of capability for military forces on land, at sea, in the air, and perhaps even in space.
