Ukraine may receive laser weapons against drones within a few months - the Armed Forces of Ukraine revealed details
Kyiv • UNN
Ukrainian manufacturers are already creating laser systems capable of striking drones. The Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that such systems will appear in the coming months.
Ukraine could receive its own laser systems to combat Russian drones as early as the coming months. Such systems are already undergoing testing, and Ukrainian manufacturers are working on their deployment. This was stated by Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andriy Lebedenko during a briefing titled "Military Innovations. Key Achievements of the First Half of 2026," as reported by UNN.
Laser weapons are no longer a technology of the future
According to Lebedenko, Ukraine is already developing samples of laser weapons capable of striking drones.
"Projects related to the weapons of the future are moving forward, but they already exist today. We have manufacturers and teams inside Ukraine, as well as private enterprises that produce laser weapons. And this is no longer some technology of the future – it can already shoot down FPV drones today, it is already working with our own efforts. This is a matter of the next two to three months. We will have such means that will allow us to strike air attack assets even better than machine guns,"
He also added that work is ongoing on other promising areas, including impulse weapons.
How the laser system works
As military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko previously explained in a comment to UNN, the operating principle of such systems differs significantly from the popular notion of a "laser beam" that simply burns through the drone's hull.
"In reality, this story is no longer new. They have long tried to create such a means for destroying UAVs. Initially, they even considered an option for striking the Shahed-136. The operating principle lies not so much in physically burning through the hull, as people imagine, but in affecting the microchips and electronics of the drone. There is a microwave effect on all control and communication systems of the drone. To put it very simply – the electronics burns out,"
According to him, after such an effect, the drone does not explode in the air but simply becomes inoperable.
"It is not about an explosion. A local internal fire is created precisely in those systems that are most sensitive to such radiation. This can be compared to a microwave oven. If you put a mobile phone in it and turn it on, it is clear what will happen to the electronics. The drone reacts on approximately the same principle under the influence of a laser beam,"
Can the technology be scaled
The expert notes that the high cost of the new technology remains the main problem for now. At the same time, after the launch of serial production, its price could significantly decrease.
"Any new technology is initially expensive. But if its effectiveness is confirmed, if it is truly capable of performing such tasks, then with proper investment, state orders, and possibly international support, the cost can be significantly reduced,"
He emphasized that the main advantage of laser weapons is their reusable nature.
"The main effect of laser weapons is that they are not disposable, like a guided anti-aircraft missile or even an interceptor drone. The laser is reusable. If we talk about the costs of electricity and maintaining the operation of the installation, it is still cheaper than using air defense missiles. Even compared to interceptor drones, this could be significantly more economical,"