Ukrainian 'Tryzub' laser weapon unveils new drone defenses

The Tryzub system is one of the more enigmatic solutions developed by the Ukrainian defense industry in recent years. Although it was officially unveiled only in 2024, work on it began much earlier—unofficial sources suggest as early as 2021. This system was developed in response to the increasing threat from Russian drones, cruise missiles, and other airborne weaponry that pose a significant challenge to the Ukrainian military. It was developed by the Ukroboronprom consortium in collaboration with several Ukrainian technology companies and research institutes.

Tryzub is not a classic air defense system. It is an integrated platform designed for detecting, disrupting, and physically neutralizing airborne targets. It includes precise radars, optoelectronic sensors, and—most importantly—a laser combat system capable of intercepting and destroying targets using an energy beam. Although its full specifications remain secret, available information indicates that Tryzub operates at short distances—up to a few kilometres—and is primarily intended for destroying low-flying drones.

Ukrainian industry media report that the system was tested in combat conditions by late 2023, and in 2024 the first units were put into operational use—likely in areas particularly threatened by the intense use of drones by Russia, such as the outskirts of Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, or Odessa. According to the manufacturer's declaration, Tryzub can operate almost continuously, provided it has a stable energy supply, making it a potentially revolutionary solution in combating cheap, but widely used Shahed-type kamikaze drones.

Laser systems, such as the one used in Tryzub, work by concentrating energy into a very narrow beam, capable of burning through a target's structural components, destroying its electronics, or causing an explosion in fractions of a second. Their greatest advantage is the nearly zero cost of a single "shot"—no need for a missile costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, just electrical energy. Experts estimate that the cost of a single "shot" of such a system is only a few dollars. Additionally, this kind of weapon is difficult to disrupt or intercept, and when properly scaled, it can operate fully autonomously.

Tryzub is compared to Israel's Iron Beam system—the laser counterpart to the Iron Dome. The latter is a good example of comparing the costs of using a laser beam versus traditional missiles for destroying aerial targets. As mentioned, the one-time use of a laser costs about a few dollars. On the other hand, the estimated cost of a Tamir intercept missile, used in the Iron Dome air defense system, is $40,000 to $50,000.

It is worth noting that both solutions were developed in response to similar threats: the mass use of cheap, difficult-to-intercept drones and short-range missiles. The differences lie mainly in scale and technological sophistication—the Israelis have been developing Iron Beam for over a decade. In contrast, Tryzub is a project born out of wartime conditions, under the pressure of time and the needs of the frontline. Despite this, the Ukrainian system is already garnering significant interest- domestically and abroad—as an example of how technology can actually change the balance of power on the modern battlefield.