Russia Unveils New Truck-Mounted Laser Weapon Designed to Neutralize UAVs at Interpolitex 2025

At the Interpolitex 2025 defense exhibition in Moscow’s VDNH complex, Russian optics and electronics firm Shvabe, part of Rostec, unveiled a mobile high-energy laser complex designed for counter-drone and close-range air defense operations. The system combines a high-power air-cooled laser, an optronic detection and tracking suite, and a command post, all housed within an all-terrain truck for rapid deployment and mobility.

According to Rostec’s official release and Russian defense media, the Shvabe mobile laser unit is capable of disabling several UAVs within a minute, including small FPV (First-Person View) drones that have become prominent on modern battlefields. The system operates on rechargeable onboard batteries that can be replenished from external sources, minimizing its thermal and acoustic signature. This makes it suitable for stealthy operation in forward-deployed or urban environments.

Design and Configuration

At the core of the system is an air-cooled laser, which marks a practical shift from traditional liquid-cooled designs. The air-cooled configuration simplifies logistics, reduces maintenance needs, and decreases system weight — a significant factor in enabling rapid relocation and deployment. The optronic suite integrates electro-optical sensors and precision trackers to detect, track, and maintain a stable aim on small aerial targets, ensuring sustained beam contact for sufficient thermal effects.

The entire system, including its command-and-control (C2) station, fits within a single all-terrain truck. This compact layout allows setup within minutes, ideal for mobile air defense missions where frequent movement is required to evade enemy reconnaissance or artillery fire.

Power and Operational Capability

Power is derived from high-capacity onboard batteries, enabling silent operation and reducing dependence on external generators. In favorable conditions, the laser can engage targets within a few hundred meters to about one kilometer, depending on atmospheric clarity. Rostec indicates that the system can be cued by external radar, acoustic, or passive RF detection stations, allowing it to operate as part of a layered air defense network alongside short-range guns, missiles, and jammers.

The firing sequence allows several drones to be neutralized within a minute — suggesting 2–4 seconds of dwell time per target. The laser’s effects range from sensor blinding and cable melting to thermal ignition of batteries or circuits, leading to drone failure or descent.

Technical Specifications (Estimated Based on Available Data)

Tactical Context and Use

In Russia’s air defense architecture, the Shvabe mobile laser is envisioned as a point-defense effector — intercepting drones that bypass radio jamming and gun-based countermeasures. When integrated with radar and acoustic sensors, it functions as the final layer of defense, silently destroying small aerial threats that pose risks to frontline troops, vehicles, or infrastructure.

The system’s low cost per shot, compared to kinetic interceptors, gives it a significant logistical advantage in high-drone-density environments. However, performance depends heavily on weather conditions; fog, dust, and rain can degrade beam intensity and precision. The system is most effective from elevated positions with stabilized optics to maintain line of sight on slow or medium-speed drones.

Comparative Analysis

The Shvabe laser complex positions Russia within the same class of directed-energy air defense systems being developed globally. In the United States, the DE M-SHORAD system on the Stryker platform employs a 50 kW laser, while the United Kingdom’s DragonFire and Raytheon HELWS demonstrators target similar UAV threats under LDEW (Laser Directed Energy Weapon) trials. Israel’s Iron Beam, set for operational use in 2025, employs a more powerful fiber laser for drone and rocket defense.

Shvabe’s approach differs by emphasizing air cooling, modularity, and battery-driven mobility, creating a more logistically lean solution tailored for Russia’s field conditions. The absence of liquid cooling and reliance on line-replaceable modules simplify maintenance and reduce supply chain complexity.

Outlook

The public debut of Shvabe’s mobile laser at Interpolitex 2025 marks a step forward in Russia’s counter-UAV technology. With modern conflicts increasingly defined by drone swarms and low-cost aerial threats, directed-energy systems like this offer an attractive balance between sustainability, mobility, and affordability.

If serial production begins, the complex could be integrated into frontline SHORAD units, supplementing gun and missile systems such as Pantsir-S1 or Tor-M2. Over time, further upgrades — including adaptive optics, improved beam control, and enhanced tracking algorithms — could strengthen its operational reach and reliability.

By presenting this compact, all-electric counter-drone laser, Shvabe underlines Russia’s intent to field practical directed-energy weapons that match the realities of contemporary battlefields — mobile, quiet, and increasingly autonomous in detecting and neutralizing airborne threats.