Tech vs. terror: how Ukraine repels Russia’s massive missile attacks. Serhiy Zgurets' column

Russia's combined attack on Kyiv

The attack was carried out in several waves, using ballistic and cruise missiles launched from the sea and air, as well as drones. The main strike targeted the capital, including a residential building in Kyiv’s Sviatoshynskyi district. A Russian ballistic missile hit the area, killing 12 people. The number of injured has risen to 100, including five children. In total, Russia launched 215 missiles and drones of various types at Ukraine.

Air defense performed quite effectively, despite the large number of ballistic missiles this time. Out of 11 ballistic missiles, seven were intercepted. By morning, debris was mostly identified as North Korean missiles, but by afternoon it became clear that Iskander-M missiles had also been used. Of the 37 Kh-101 cruise missiles, 31 were shot down. Six out of 12 Kalibr missiles were destroyed, as well as all four Kh-69 missiles. The enemy also used 145 long-range drones, of which only 13 were not intercepted.

F-16 and Mirage fighter jets took an active part in repelling attacks and destroying Russian air targets. This is an important component in the destruction of cruise missiles. All means were used to destroy enemy targets: SAMs, aircraft, and mobile groups. 

Tryzub laser system

Ukraine is currently working to expand its arsenal for destroying Russian attack systems. Just a few days ago, UAV Commander Vadym Sukharevskyi announced that the Ukrainian laser Tryzub has been developed and is now in use.

In fact, this was quite an unexpected announcement, although it had been mentioned twice before - at the end of last year and just a few days ago. The Tryzub system has high technical capabilities, including the ability to destroy bombs, missiles, and strike drones at distances of up to 3 km, as well as to blind fiber-optic drones at distances of up to 10 km.

Serhiy Levytskyi, senior researcher at the Lashkarev Institute of Semiconductor Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, who has been developing laser technologies for a long time, spoke about the system's capabilities.

"I have seen reports over the past few months. This is already the third publication of information about the Tryzub laser combat system. However, unfortunately, when comparing the declared parameters with global analogs, it can be said that this system is currently only a laboratory prototype, still quite raw. Unfortunately, based on the declared dimensions, this system does not meet the actual parameters required to destroy drones and missiles at the claimed distances. For example, according to simple estimates, in order to destroy a drone at a distance of approximately 1 km, the laser power must be at least 50 kilowatts. Given the size of this system, it is clear that it currently does not have such power," he noted.

However, there are also positive aspects: developments in this area are underway, teams are working, and this is encouraging, says Levytskyi.

There are also samples from other companies used on the battlefield. For example, a Turkish system uses a less powerful laser to blind fiber-optic drones. Levytskyi discussed the main parameters, challenges, and features of such developments.

"If we talk about the Turkish laser system, according to the manufacturer, its power is about 3 kW. It is not designed to destroy unmanned aerial vehicles, but rather to illuminate them, i.e., to disable the optical and targeting systems of the device. It has a lower power output, more compact dimensions, and the maximum effective range of the laser is up to 1.5 km. The main problem is target acquisition and tracking, as the target quickly changes position in space, and to effectively impact the camera or the airframe, the object must be kept in the focus of the laser system for several seconds. This is quite difficult to do at long distances for moving targets," he noted.

The British laser system Dragon Fire has a laser emitter power of about 50 kW and is designed to destroy targets at distances of up to 2 km. It is known that the manufacturer has already conducted test trials on a range, during which the laser burned through the fuselage of an unmanned aerial vehicle.

As for the program of work on the development of laser systems, the Academy of Sciences has targeted defense research programs that implement projects aimed at creating laser weapons, laser systems, and other technologies to strengthen the state's defense capabilities.

"Primarily, if we talk about this direction, the main key issue is the logistics base, specifically the components. About 99% of all components for laser systems are produced abroad. To develop and create such complexes, it is necessary to collaborate with leading global manufacturers of component parts and companies for joint work in this area," Levytskyi explained.

The use of laser systems on the battlefield is a quite complex process due to the limitations of this weapon. Specifically, environmental factors affect the operation of laser systems: fog and rain significantly limit their potential. Moreover, the need to keep the target within the laser beam is a technologically complex problem that requires a solution.

Another challenge is the energy required to power the laser. It demands a significant amount of additional equipment that accompanies the laser system itself. This makes it a fairly vulnerable target on the battlefield, especially considering that even the best laser systems can only destroy drones at a range of one to two kilometers.

If such a system were deployed on the battlefield, the enemy would actively use drones in mass strikes to disable it. This is another significant challenge for modern laser systems, which require additional protection. The laser's effective range of one to two kilometers is not always sufficient in conditions of intensive use of strike means, as we can see in the context of the war with Russia.

Implementing new technological solutions

Currently, several platforms are working on these tasks. One such platform is Brave1, where Ukrainian developers, with financial and organizational support from specialists, ensure the creation of new prototypes. These systems undergo testing according to military requirements and are then supplied to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Brave1 also contributes to the development of ground-based robotic platforms.

About 200 companies are developing unmanned systems, both airborne and ground-based. We know how wide a range of tasks these ground-based robotic systems can perform on the battlefield. Our robotic platforms, in particular, are designed to compensate for the limited number of infantry on the front line.

Robotic platforms are used for mining areas through which the enemy may advance. Some of them are equipped with weapons, such as machine guns, which can destroy enemy personnel. The primary tasks of the robotic platforms are logistics: supplying ammunition to positions held by our soldiers, delivering food and water, and, of course, evacuating the wounded in challenging conditions when it is not possible to do so by other means.

The development of robotic platforms is an important component of strengthening the capabilities of Ukrainian Armed Forces with a focus on technological solutions. Pavlo Kyshkar, Lieutenant Colonel, Senior Officer of the Land Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, noted that the procurement system in Ukraine is quite complex. But the most important thing is that the Army Commander is interested in reviewing and researching samples that are ready for testing and can affect the course of combat operations. 

"We report to him weekly about the developments that have passed the relevant tests. The procurement system, whether for unmanned systems or ground robotic complexes, is quite complex and has been transferred to the appropriate departments of the Ministry of Defense. At the same time, orders coming from the ground forces are proactive in terms of technological breakthroughs," he added.

When it comes to improving the effectiveness of units on the battlefield, we often talk about forces and resources, but sometimes we forget about intangible assets, such as the combat management system. The Dzvin system is a significant achievement, and the units using it report high capabilities.

“The Armed Forces are currently using a number of solutions. “Dzvin is an operational and strategic decision, and the command determines whether it is worth using. The complexity of the procedure for adopting new systems, especially when it comes to classified information, actually makes it difficult to implement innovations quickly. However, there are other solutions that allow commanders at the operational and tactical and operational and strategic levels to make decisions. In addition, at the tactical level, there are developments and decisions that are currently being tested, including by the Land Forces Command. Thus, we are provided with systems as far as the funding of the Armed Forces allows,” said Kyshkar.