- Trident reportedly destroys reconnaissance drones from distances reaching 1.5 kilometers away.
- Ukrainian developers claim that the laser weapon costs much less than Western systems.
- The Trident laser reportedly effectively damages aircraft optics, electronics and structural components.
Ukrainian company Celebra Tech is putting the finishing touches on a Trident laser weapon that it claims can destroy drones, helicopters and even missiles at significant distances.
The Trident burns enemy optics and structural components from a distance of up to three miles.
Western defense giants have spent huge sums of money on similar technology, such as the £120m DragonFire laser unveiled by Britain, but Ukrainian developers say their Trident system will cost a small fraction of that amount.
What the trident can really do
Celebra Tech says its laser system can shoot down reconnaissance drones from up to 1.5 kilometers away.
FPV drones, which have become a major threat on the battlefield with an effective range of 800 to 900 meters, were destroyed by the system, which also damages the optics, electronics and wing bodies of larger aircraft.
The developers claim that the Trident can attack helicopters and aircraft at a distance of 5 kilometers.
At 10 kilometers away, the laser still retains enough power to blind enemy surveillance teams.
The system has recently received new targeting features, including radar integration and automatic target tracking, and a retargeting system now allows operators to correct the beam during active combat.
Combat tested
The company revealed that a prototype called the Trident-120 underwent combat testing in 2021 and 2022, when it resembled a light rifle in its physical form and handling.
The previous prototype successfully hit the optoelectronic equipment of Ka-52 attack helicopters and also damaged Orlan reconnaissance drones and Murom ground observation stations during those field tests.
“Today we can shoot down aircraft at an altitude of more than 2 kilometers with this laser,” said Vadym Sukharevskiy, former commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces.
The company adds that the Trident laser system is also suitable for demining contaminated areas, although this secondary function has not been publicly demonstrated or verified by external observers.
Celebra Tech has developed other products, including the Laurus-13F fiber optic FPV drone, and says it is also working on bombers, electronic warfare equipment and specialized software packages.
The company employs only about fifteen people to work on this laser development project, which seems remarkably small for a technically ambitious weapons system.
For most of the claimed kill ranges, including the 5 kilometer anti-aircraft claim, no independent verification or third-party confirmation has ever been published.
The demining function mentioned by the manufacturer seems particularly far from the operational capacity demonstrated according to the available tests.
A low-cost laser that resolves all aerial threats remains an attractive idea, but without proper verification, it remains a theoretical project.
Via Defender Media
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds.
