Ukrainian forces test Tryzub laser weapon, showing off new defense tech that targets airborne threats and advances anti-drone capabilities.
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Well, it's not exactly sharks with freaking laser beams attached to their heads
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but Ukraine is showing the world a new kind of weapon, one that could change how it defends against drones and missiles
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Using a joystick, the weapons operator locks onto enemy drones and takes them out with directed energy, in this case, laser power
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which means it doesn't fire any bullets. Ukraine unveiled its first homegrown laser system
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capable of shooting down drones, aircraft, and even missiles last year. But now the country is publicly showcasing the system
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It's called Trezub, Ukrainian for Trident, and it was at a defense industry conference in Europe
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Footage released by the commander of Ukraine's unmanned systems forces, Vadim Sukarevsky
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showed the laser in action during testing. Operators manually steered the system using a joystick, targeting ground objects and disabling
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a drone's onboard camera through directed energy. Zoukorovsky says the laser can destroy drones, guided bombs, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles at distances up to 3 kilometers
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The TriZub can also engage helicopters and fixed aircraft at 5 kilometers In a separate mode it can blind optical sensors at up to 10 kilometers
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The system is still considered a prototype, but officials say automatic tracking could be added in future versions
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While current footage shows it mounted on the ground, Ukraine says it may eventually deploy the laser on drones or mobile platforms
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Of course, figuring out a way to power the system on a drone is going to be an obvious challenge, but a tethered drone could be one option
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When Ukraine first confirmed laser weapons testing late last year, Sukarevsky said the country was joining a small group of nations capable of using lasers to down aircraft
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He also said future air defense teams might replace some conventional weapons with lasers, giving them better tools to intercept drones
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While full tactical details remain classified, ysts say directed energy weapons like lasers
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could offer a more affordable way to counter drone swarms, one of Ukraine's most frequent threats in its war with Russia
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