The Russian armed forces began to use the Chinese Lass laser laser system called Silent Hunter for air defense, in particular for the defeat of low -size air purposes, such as drones. The video of this system was published by Russian profile channels on May 31, showing how the laser burns the holes in steel sheets and knocks down drones.
Silent Hunter is a mobile laser complex installed on a special car with a sliding optical tower. The system has several power configurations - from 10 to 30 kilowatts, which allows to hit the targets at a distance of 2 to 4 kilometers. The laser is able to punch steel plates up to 5 mm thick at a distance of about 1 km. The system is designed to combat slow, low -flying UAVs. The Chinese manufacturer Poly Technologies has introduced an updated version of Silent Hunter at DSA 2024 in Malaysia. Over the years, the complex has been used to protect the G20 summit in China, as well as in Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan. In February 2024, Saudi Arabia destroyed Hussite drone in February 2024. However, despite the advantages, experts call into question the efficiency of the system in difficult weather conditions. Fog, rain and bright sun significantly reduce the range and accuracy of the laser through the scattering of the beam in the atmosphere. Mobile platforms also require constant powerful power, which can be a challenge in the field. In addition, the laser system has restrictions on the fight against larger, armored or fast targets such as winged missiles. Some experts doubt the stated characteristics, believing that maximum efficiency is achieved only under ideal conditions.
Thus, Silent Hunter is a promising but not universal air defense tool that requires further improvement and integration with other protection systems.
