-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Ivan Khomenko")
Ukraine’s Drone Forces have officially presented the Tryzub laser weapon system, revealing its capabilities for the first time during a defense industry event.
According to Militarnyi on April 13, the video demonstration was released by Lieutenant General Vadym Sukharevskyi, Commander of the Drone Forces, during the “European Defense Industry: Prospects for Cooperation with the Ukrainian Defense Sector” conference.
Sukharevskyi stated that the Ukrainian-developed laser can destroy strike drones, aerial bombs, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles at distances of up to 3,000 meters.
It is also reportedly capable of targeting helicopters, airplanes, and reconnaissance UAVs at distances of up to 5,000 meters. In addition, the system can be used to blind drones, missiles, helicopters, and aircraft at a range of up to 10,000 meters.
The test footage showed the system targeting a stationary ground object, as well as disabling the camera of a fiber-optic FPV drone.
While the system is equipped with an electro-optical tracking station, target acquisition is currently performed manually via joystick rather than through an automated guidance system. This suggests the platform is still in its prototype phase, with automation likely to be introduced in future iterations.
The control station for the Tryzub laser was also shown in the demonstration. The system’s operational status remains under evaluation as it continues undergoing performance tests.
Initial reports of the Tryzub system surfaced in December 2024, when Sukharevskyi noted Ukraine had become one of a handful of countries with functional laser weapons. “We can already down aircraft with this laser at altitudes over 2 kilometers,” he stated at the time.
In February 2025, officials confirmed that the system was developed by Ukrainian specialists over the course of several months. It is currently undergoing technical validation to confirm its operational effectiveness.
Sukharevskyi emphasized that the system is intended to enhance Ukraine’s ability to counter reconnaissance drones and Iranian-made Shahed-type UAVs, and to defend critical infrastructure and civilian areas.
He also suggested that, in the future, mobile air defense units could be equipped with laser systems instead of machine guns, increasing their efficiency in neutralizing aerial threats.
Detailed specifications of the Tryzub, such as its power output and intended deployment platform, have not been disclosed.
Earlier in March, Ukraine’s defense tech platform Brave1 released exclusive footage of a separate laser weapon system successfully targeting steel plates, drone components, and robotic systems.
Unlike the Tryzub project, this laser was developed independently and remains classified. According to a Brave1 developer, neutralizing a Shahed drone with this system costs only a few dollars—making it a cost-effective alternative to missile-based air defense.
