Summary
Ukraine has deployed a new Tryzub (“Trident”) laser capable of shooting down aircraft at altitudes over 1.2 miles, with plans to improve its range.
This domestically developed weapon highlights Ukraine’s innovation in defense against Russia.
The Tryzub is part of broader efforts, including “mother” drones, to enhance Ukraine’s military capabilities.
The effectiveness of this system in the ongoing war with Russia is yet to be determined.
50kW class laser.
Another source claims 1um wavelength with individual 1.5kW lasers in a hex pattern — unclear if it’s a phased array (would be awesome) or just trained on the same target (source mentions they are “combined using a mirror” so probably the latter).
Sounds like maybe high power YAG?
Don’t think controlling the phase of such high power lasers is feasible, high frequency makes this harder than radio waves. These lasers are often fibre optic, which are easier to pump to very high levels without overheating. They are then combined to get even more power. Trying to control the phase across many lasers with very long path lengths before the output would be incredibly difficult.