Russian Laser Air Defense Reportedly Downs Dozens of Drones at Minimal Cost

Russian laser weapon systems designed to counter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have reportedly saved hundreds of millions of rubles by reducing the need to fire expensive surface-to-air missiles, according to Russia's Minister of Industry and Trade, Anton Alikhanov. Speaking on Komsomolskaya Pravda radio, Alikhanov said Russia has already developed an entire range of laser systems capable of engaging drones. He declined to identify the location but said one facility used a laser complex to destroy nearly 60 UAVs in a single month. Alikhanov noted that operating the laser systems primarily requires electricity, making them far less expensive to use than conventional interceptor missiles. At the same time, he stressed that surface-to-air missiles remain an essential part of Russia's air defense network and said their production has increased several-fold compared with last year.