Global Experience in the Development and Testing of Laser Weapons Against Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Ukraine's successful resistance to the russian aggressor depends on the availability of modern, effective weaponry, particularly for countering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that attack our territory daily. Given the constraints of financial, technical, human, and other resources, domestic defence companies focus significantly on finding cost-effective methods to neutralize this relatively inexpensive aerial threat. Developments by leading international military companies demonstrate that laser-based weaponry is currently an economically viable alternative to certain types of armaments for combating UAVs. The purpose of this study is to review existing laser weapons, analyse their combat characteristics and operational efficiency, and assess their advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses, as well as limitations and prospective capabilities for protecting personnel and military equipment on the battlefield, as well as critical infrastructure and the civilian population of the country. The analysis of global experience in the development and use of laser weapons indicates their high efficiency in performing a wide range of tasks, particularly in combating unmanned aerial vehicles. Modern laser weapons have become more powerful and compact, typically consisting of subsystems and modules that integrate with land, sea, and air platforms. The remarkable potential of laser technologies for military purposes is highlighted by several significant advantages, including low operational cost; the absence of ammunition stockpiles; the ability to neutralize optical and sensory systems of enemy UAVs; high efficiency in damaging UAV materials; minimal collateral effects upon target engagement; and the stealth characteristics of laser installations. However, the use of laser weapons also comes with specific limitations and drawbacks: the requirement for a powerful energy source and cooling system; the limitation of the laser beam to a linear trajectory and the necessity to fix it on the target for a certain duration to inflict damage; the dependence of laser efficiency on weather conditions. These advantages and drawbacks of using laser weapons underscore the need for further innovation in this field, which could not only enhance the effectiveness of laser systems but also lead to the development of fundamentally new defence systems capable of reliably countering UAV threats. This opens new prospects for significantly shifting the balance of power in modern military conflicts.