MOSCOW, — Russia’s 3rd Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense has developed and patented a laser jamming system designed to protect unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) that use laser beam-riding guidance.
The system is described in Russian patent documents reviewed by TASS. Reports about the patent first appeared in July 2025. The device is intended to counter laser-guided systems such as the British-made Starstreak.
System Designed for UAVs
The patented equipment is mounted directly on a UAV and is designed to detect laser illumination from a missile guidance system and respond with a counter-laser signal.
Its main components include an array of omnidirectional threat-warning sensors, an analyzer, a control unit, an optical jamming generator, an aiming unit and a laser emitter.
The warning sensors are positioned on two truncated cones around the aircraft. According to the patent description, this arrangement provides 360-degree coverage for detecting directed laser illumination.
Once the system detects the laser signal, the analyzer determines the direction from which it is coming and examines characteristics of the guidance signal, including its frequency and amplitude.
The control unit then activates the optical jamming system. The aiming unit directs the countermeasure toward the location of the laser source.
Counter-Laser Signal Targets the Guidance Channel
The system is designed specifically for missiles that receive guidance through a laser beam rather than using an infrared seeker.
The counter-laser signal is modulated using the frequency and amplitude characteristics identified from the incoming guidance signal. According to the patent, this allows the jammer to introduce false information into the missile's guidance channel.
The intended result is to disrupt the missile's guidance and cause it to deviate from its planned flight path, reducing the probability of the UAV being hit.
This approach is different from conventional infrared countermeasures. Laser beam-riding weapons do not depend on a heat signature from the target in the same way as infrared-guided missiles, so countermeasures designed specifically to defeat infrared seekers are not the primary mechanism addressed by this system.
Starstreak Uses Laser Beam-Riding Guidance
Starstreak is an example of a MANPADS system that uses laser beam-riding guidance. During an engagement, the launcher projects a laser guidance beam toward the target, while the missile uses sensors to determine its position within that beam and make flight corrections.
The Russian patent is aimed at interfering with this guidance method rather than attempting to defeat a conventional infrared seeker.
The patent therefore describes the system as a countermeasure against portable air-defense systems that rely on laser command or beam-riding guidance.
Compact and Reusable Design
The developers describe the equipment as lightweight and compact, making it suitable for installation on UAVs. The patent contrasts the concept with larger airborne self-protection systems such as MANTA.
Another feature identified in the patent is its reusable nature. Unlike expendable pyrotechnic countermeasures, the laser-based system does not depend on a single-use physical countermeasure.
The patent states that the technical result of the system is a reduction in the probability of a UAV being hit by disrupting the missile's guidance.
However, the available information does not establish that the system has entered production or operational service.
There is also no publicly available information confirming production timelines, test results or specific UAV platforms that would receive the equipment. The patent describes the technology and its intended operating principle, but those details do not by themselves confirm deployment.
The 3rd Central Research Institute is a Russian Defense Ministry research organization with a history of work on military technology and equipment.
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