At the begining of this month Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia is working on “weapons based on new physical principles” that “will ensure the security of any country in the near historical perspective.”
It has now emerged that Russia is testing its cutting-edge laser weapons in Ukraine the sputnik reported on Thursday.
Peresvet Laser System
While information and technical characteristics of Russia’s laser weapons are shrouded in secrecy, it is known the Peresvet is a strategic laser platform designed to disable enemy spacecraft at altitudes up to 1,500 kilometers (km).
Still, a laser with enough power to blind satellites should also be capable of hitting atmospheric aircraft, as per international military observers.
Officials believe it can also “burn out” the equipment of reconnaissance aircraft and drones, and with some modifications, even physically destroy them at close range.
Experts have additionally indicated the Peresvet is used to camouflage the launch positions of the RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles.
“The Peresvet, is in service and is on combat duty,” Yuri Knutov, military historian and publicist, director of the Museum of Air Defense Forces, said.
“This is a fairly large laser. Its characteristics are not disclosed. One can only assume, based on its size, that this laser is capable of blinding satellites and affecting unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles. And even, perhaps, for airplanes and helicopters. In any case, this laser complex is part of the mobile ground complexes that are part of the strategic missile forces. These are the Yars complexes.”
Zadira Used in Ukraine
While the Peresvet “blinds” the enemy’s systems, the Zadira burns them down.
The weapon can hit an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at a distance of up to 5 km.
During testing, a drone flying 5 km away was struck by the Zadira and burned out within five seconds.
The Zadira could help combat enemy drones and not waste expensive missiles of Russia short-to-medium range air defense systems.
Even though laser weapons are a technologically complex product, the cost of their shot is significantly lower than that from an anti-aircraft missile system (SAM).
Moreover, the laser beam reaches the target almost instantly and cannot be intercepted.
In addition to the Zadira and the Peresvet, the Russian military also mentioned the Luchezar project in their bulletins.
he promising small-sized mobile laser system is designed to neutralize reconnaissance devices containing CCD matrices by effectively damaging them.
A specific feature of this laser system is its lens, which allows it to destroy surveillance equipment, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
