President Putin: Russia's new laser weapon is as powerful as science fiction

A Russian combat laser system. Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense

APDuring a meeting with senior officials on May 17, President Putin said that new laser weapons would strengthen Moscow's military capabilities.

Also during the meeting, Mr. Putin specifically mentioned the Peresvet system, the first laser weapon to enter service with the Russian military last fall.

In addition, Mr. Putin also said that Russia is developing a number of other laser weapons and they have parameters that are “only found in science fiction”. The Russian president said that these weapons will shape the “combat potential of the Russian army and navy” throughout the 21st century.

Peresvet is a Russian high-energy laser weapon system. So far, the detailed technical specifications of this weapon are still secret. However, military experts believe that this weapon is capable of "blinding" the electro-optical sensors of enemy reconnaissance weapons. Some other opinions say that it can directly participate in combat, shooting down drones, enemy aircraft and cruise missiles.

According to military expert Alexei Leonkov, Peresvet is capable of shooting down US Tomahawk missiles with high precision. Peresvet's operating mechanism is to emit a high-energy laser beam capable of burning internal components of the target, detonating the warhead or destroying equipment, rendering the weapon useless.

The Peresvet is the only weapon that Russia has kept secret in the set of six weapons announced by Mr. Putin in March last year to maintain Moscow's military superpower status. The remaining weapons are the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, unmanned submarine, Burevestnik cruise missile, Kinzhal hypersonic missile, Avangard hypersonic missile.