Latest news with #anti-aircraft
Russia Today
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Russia tests new laser weapons (VIDEO)
Russia has successfully tested eight anti-aircraft laser systems, the government said on Friday. They were designed specifically to tackle drone threats, the statement added. The trials were attended by senior Russian officials, including Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. The tests were conducted at specialized proving grounds and organized by Russia's Military-Industrial Commission and Ministry of Industry and Trade. 'During the tests, the accuracy of guidance, range of destruction, reaction speed of the systems to moving air targets, and resistance to various weather conditions were checked,' the Russian government said in its statement. Eight new weapons, ranging from 'compact mobile devices to stationary high-power systems,' were tested during the trials. The laser weapons faced assorted targets, including small-sized commercial drones and 'more complex devices simulating reconnaissance and attack drones,' the Kremlin said. Footage of the trials shows drones getting shot out of the sky by laser beams and crashing into the ground. The video also features the destroyed targets put on display, with some of the drones appearing to bear distinct burn marks. All the systems featured at the test performed as advertised by their manufacturers, the statement noted. It also said that the trials proved 'the correctness of the chosen direction for the development of integrated defense systems' to protect critical infrastructure facilities from UAVs. The trials pave the way to mass production of the relevant systems and to scaling the solutions displayed by the manufacturers, it added. Attempts to create laser-based weaponry, including anti-aircraft systems, have been repeatedly made by many nations. Most combat laser systems however, never made it past the prototype stage, being plagued by assorted operational and technical issues, including too short a range and dependency on high-output power sources. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine, where cheap mass-produced drones have become a key tool for both battlefield use and long-range strikes, has apparently given a new impetus to the development of laser-based systems. In recent months, several countries, including Ukraine, India, and Israel, have unveiled new weapons of the type.
Russia Today
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Over 80k aerial targets shot down during conflict with Ukraine
Russian forces have shot down more than 80,000 aerial targets during the conflict with Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin has revealed, adding that the country is seeking to create a universal anti-aircraft system capable of intercepting any incoming projectile. Putin made the remarks on Thursday while meeting with senior civilian and military officials to discuss Russia's armament plans for the period between 2027 and 2036. The conflict with Ukraine has been marked by the rapid development of aerial weaponry, the evolution of its role and the tactics of its use, Putin noted. 'The new state armament program should ensure the creation of a universal air defense system that is capable of operating in any conditions and effectively destroying aerial strike weapons regardless of their type,' the president stated. The 80,000 figure includes some 7,500 sophisticated munitions, such as tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and projectiles fired by multiple rocket launchers, Putin noted, adding that nearly all such weapons destroyed had been supplied to Kiev by the West. However, drones constitute the vast majority of aerial targets intercepted during the conflict. According to the latest figures by the Russian Defense Ministry, more than 63,000 Ukrainian UAVs of all types have been destroyed amid the hostilities. 'The fight against various types of unmanned aerial vehicles required new approaches and non-standard solutions. This field remains particularly relevant,' the president stressed.
Al Bawaba
01-06-2025
- General
- Al Bawaba
Sudanese army foils drone attack in Port Sudan
Published June 1st, 2025 - 06:07 GMT ALBAWABA - The Sudanese army foiled drones flying over Port Sudan with anti-aircraft missiles on Saturday, according to eyewitnesses. Also Read Sudan reports 70 cholera deaths in Khartoum in 2 days Last month, Port Sudan, the seat of the military-backed government, was subjected to its first drone attack, blamed on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, generally referred to as Hemedti. The drone strikes targeted infrastructure, including the country's last functioning international civilian airport, power plants, and fuel depots. The almost daily strikes had ceased for more than a week until Saturday, when eyewitnesses told AFP they heard "the sound of anti-aircraft missiles north and west of the city and drones flying overhead." © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Arab News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Kyiv mayor says drones and missiles attack city, triggering fires
Ukraine's capital Kyiv was coming under a combined drone and missile attack early on Saturday, Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said. Timur Tkachenko, head of the capital's military administration, said two fires had broken out in the city's Sviatoshinskyi district. Drone fragments had hit the ground there and in three other districts. Officials said anti-aircraft units were in action. Reuters witnesses reported waves of drones flying over the city, which had been jolted by a series of explosions.
Reuters
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Kyiv mayor says drones and missiles attack city, triggering fires
May 24 (Reuters) - Ukraine's capital Kyiv was coming under a combined drone and missile attack early on Saturday, Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said. Timur Tkachenko, head of the capital's military administration, said two fires had broken out in the city's Sviatoshinskyi district. Drone fragments had hit the ground there and in three other districts. Officials said anti-aircraft units were in action. Reuters witnesses reported waves of drones flying over the city, which had been jolted by a series of explosions.
