Russia Deploys Laser Weapons to Counter Drone Attacks at a Fraction of the Cost

Russia's defense industry is increasingly adopting laser technology to counter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), offering a far less expensive alternative to intercepting low-cost drones with high-priced surface-to-air missiles. Laser Systems Reduce Interception Costs Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov announced that an entire family of laser defense systems is being deployed. According to the minister, one installation destroyed nearly 60 drones within a month. Because the primary operating expense is electricity, the system reportedly saved hundreds of millions of rubles that would otherwise have been spent on missile interceptors. Alikhanov emphasized that lasers will complement rather than replace conventional air defense missiles, adding that missile production continues to increase.