Ukraine has unveiled a cutting-edge ‘Trident’ laser weapon after the UK said earlier this year it would be sharing its prototypes with Kyiv.
Colonel Vadym Sukharevsky, the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, said the laser would be capable of downing aircraft at distances of more than 2km.
“It really works; it really exists,” he said at the Europe Defence Industry conference, adding that efforts are underway to scale up its capabilities.
He mentioned Ukraine was only the fifth country to have a high-power laser weapon in its arsenal.
In April, Grant Shapps, former British Defence Minister, said that the UK’s DragonFire laser could be used in Ukraine to counter Russian drones.
He warned the advanced laser technology could have “huge ramifications” on the conflict, adding the military was rushing to get it into service by 2027.
“It didn’t have to be 100% perfect in order for Ukrainians perhaps to get their hands on it,” Mr Shapps said at the time.
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