Chinese-made laser weapon spotted in Russian arsenal

Russian pro-Kremlin media outlets have released new footage showing what appears to be a Chinese-made Silent Hunter 3000 laser system deployed with Russia’s air defense forces.

The video, shared on 30 May, depicts the mobile laser unit reportedly in use by the OSpN “Kochevnik” special operations group during a field engagement with an enemy reconnaissance drone.

According to the footage, the laser system was seen concealed under camouflage netting before being brought into action. While previous reports referenced Russia’s use of directed-energy weapons, this marks the first visual confirmation of what appears to be a Silent Hunter system, manufactured in China.

The Silent Hunter, or LASS (Low-Altitude Laser Defending System), is a turret-mounted platform equipped with optical targeting sensors and a 10 kW laser, believed to be developed by the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics. In a statement embedded in the video sequence, Russian media claim the laser was successfully used to counter a hostile unmanned aerial vehicle.

Unlike previous footage that only showed the system in operation, this video includes clear visuals of the optical tracking suite and the vehicle-mounted laser itself. The system’s published capabilities include neutralizing low-flying, small aerial targets at a range of up to 1.5 kilometers, with the potential to blind sensors from as far as 3 kilometers.

System data cited by media suggest the radar can detect aerial targets within a 5-kilometer radius and the laser’s maximum operational duration is 200 seconds. The system is reportedly capable of full deployment or shutdown in under five minutes.

Silent Hunter variants have previously been observed in service with Chinese, Iranian, and Saudi Arabian forces.