Ukraine’s Trident laser system is unlikely to provide an effective defense against FPV drones in its current form, military expert and air defense historian Yuri Knutov told NEWS.ru.
According to Knutov, the system consists of a towed platform carrying a combat laser and a separate generator that supplies the required electricity. Its equipment reportedly provides enough energy for about 50 pulses, but each one has a power output of only 7–9 kW.
Ukrainian developers claim that Trident can strike drones at ranges of up to 900 meters and engage cruise missiles, aircraft and helicopters at altitudes of up to two kilometers. Knutov questioned whether those specifications would be sufficient even against small FPV drones.
He explained that a laser’s effectiveness depends on how accurately and how long the beam remains focused on a single point. With manual guidance, an operator may unintentionally shift the beam, while the drone itself can change position. As a result, the system may fail to heat or burn through the target, leaving it with little or no damage.
Ukraine says the upgraded version uses software incorporating artificial intelligence. The program is designed to calculate the target’s flight path and predict its next position. The laser is then expected to remain fixed on the object for three to five seconds, which developers believe should be enough to destroy it.
Knutov said similar systems were probably already undergoing field trials with Ukrainian forces and estimated that Ukraine had around five to seven laser units. He stressed, however, that an output of 7–9 kW remained insufficient.
Earlier reports said the Ukrainian military expected to receive new laser systems within the next two or three months. Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andrey Lebedenko described the complexes as «weapons of the future» and argued that they could outperform machine guns when engaging airborne targets.