Ukraine unveils ‘Trident’ LASER weapon that blasts aerial threats at speed of light from mile away to turn tide of war

UKRAINE has unveiled its laser weapon dubbed ‘Trident’ that blasts aerial threats at the speed of light.

A weapon similar to those seen in Star Wars has been developed to take down drones and aircraft from distances of over a mile. This technology could potentially provide Ukraine with an advantage as the Russian offensive moves slowly ahead.

Britain's DragonFire laser could have been used to help with Ukraine's designs
Britain’s DragonFire laser could have been used to help with Ukraine’s designsCredit: MOD/DSTL
Ukrainian troops will use the laser to shoot drones and planes out of the sky
Ukrainian troops will use the laser to shoot drones and planes out of the skyCredit: Reuters

A Ukrainian commander revealed the existence of the weapon called “Tryzub” during a defence conference on Monday.

Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi, who commands Ukraine’s unmanned forces, said Ukraine was only the fifth country to have an operational laser.

He said: “Ukraine has laser weaponry called ‘Trident.’

“It really works; it really exists.

“As of now, we can use this laser to shoot down aircraft at altitudes of over 2 kilometers.”

Tryzub is the name of the golden trident on Ukraine’s coat of arms and is the symbol of the country.

It is not yet clear how Ukraine developed the weapon – but they could have had help from a similar UK design.

Former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps suggested back in April the UK’s own laser weapon DragonFire could be sent to Ukraine.

DragonFire is not expected to be operational until 2027, but Shapps hinted they could be sent before it was “100 per cent perfect”.

The DragonFire is an advanced laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) that harnesses a powerful light beam to penetrate its target swiftly, operating at the speed of light.

Laser gun that blasts drones & never runs out of ammo fired from UK armoured vehicle in military milestone

It is designed to shoot down attack drones, missiles, planes and even satellites with its 50kW beam and can hit targets the size of a £1 coin.

The range of DragonFire is classified, but the MoD said it can engage with any visible target.

The laser heats the target to over 3,000 degrees Celsius in an instant.

And as long as the gun has power, it will never run out of ammunition.

Ukraine is also trying to develop a “queen-drone” program – a larger unmanned craft that will be able to its carry drones and shoot them off.

According to Sukharevsky, the queen drone can carry two FPV drones while also acting as a repeater and striking deep enemy targets.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has become a watershed moment in the use of drones in warfare.

Vladimir Putin has faced repeated setbacks as Kyiv leverages its cost-effective homemade drones to effectively eliminate his expensive tanks and naval vessels. Each successful strike has been recorded on camera, dealing a blow to Russian morale.

Russia has also used the drones to kill Ukrainian troops and as vehicles to fly bombs into cities to kill civilians.

Secret plan to move Ukraine’s capital to London

By Ellie Doughty, foreign news reporter

UKRAINE drafted a secret plan to move its government to London before tyrant Vladimir Putin invaded in February 2022.

But when Russian forces launched their illegal assault Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky famously refused Western pleas to seek safe haven.

“The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride,” he told the US, according to the Ukrainian embassy in Britain.

The embassy said Ukrainians were “proud of their President” as he stood strong in the face of danger when Putin was expected to be able to take capital Kyiv in just a matter of days.

Vadym Prystaiko, former Ukrainian ambassador to London, revealed details behind the London-Ukraine contingency plan.

He said: “As far as our work in London is concerned, we actually proactively wanted to offer the [Ukrainian] government a place to continue our work at the time of possible search for a place.

“When we talked to our colleagues in Britain, no one talked about a government in exile.

“They talked about the continuation of the [Ukrainian] government [from London].”

He added: “This was not a decision of the Ukrainian government.

“It was my proposal at the time, if needed.”

Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces Vadym Sukharevskyi
Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces Vadym SukharevskyiCredit: Getty
You May Also Like

Tragic News: Young Scooter Fatally Injured in Police Chase, 911 Caller Arrested

THE woman accused of placing a fake 911 call that ended in…

Scary moment: Cruise ship hits massive 40ft waves, tossing passengers to the floor in famous Drake Passage.

THIS is the jaw-dropping moment undaunted passengers are thrown around a cruise…

Tourists park a group of RVs on a popular scenic location despite warnings for residents to stay away, and the council promises to remove them

A group of travellers have parked a fleet of caravans on a…

See the arrest of teacher Christina Formella for sexual assault of a teenage student while her shocked husband looks on helplessly

THIS is the moment a married teacher is arrested in front of…

Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein victim, charged by police days before bus crash leaves her on deathbed

Virginia Giuffre, a victim of sex trafficking, found herself in legal trouble…

Baby’s body discovered next to damaged casket at cemetery; inquiry in progress

West Virginia officials said no graves were disturbed at a cemetery where…

Carrie Coon from White Lotus responds to Meghan McCain in heated disagreement about her Trump endorsement

The White Lotus star Carrie Coon has clapped back at Meghan McCain amid the…

Grieving families of four-year-old girl, mother, and man who died in fire at Grade-II listed house honor their memory with heartfelt tribute

The heartbroken families of a four-year-old girl, her mother, and a man…

Tory peer and former Page of Honour to Queen Elizabeth II passes away at the age of 79 after a head injury

Lord Charles O’Hagan, godson of the late Queen Elizabeth II, has died…

Lauren Sanchez, Katy Perry, and Gayle King look amazing on the Elle magazine cover with their all-women Blue Origin team

Lauren Sanchez, Katy Perry and Gayle King have joined forces with the rest…

Shocking video shows ‘murderer’ looking directly at camera before ‘shooting Walgreens employee due to disdain for major drugstores’

SHOCKING footage shows a man who claimed to hate pharmacies allegedly shooting…

Exclusive Video Footage: Suspect Caught Loading Teen’s Body after Luring Online

When Miranda Corsette loses both parents, she moves in with her grandmother…