Russia has unveiled what it claims to be its latest combat laser drone, demonstrated during recent military exercises, according to pro-Kremlin Telegram channels.
The system, known as the Ignis laser installation, is mounted on the Kurier unmanned ground platform and was reportedly used to destroy anti-tank mines from a safe distance.
Images circulated on Russian social media show the Ignis laser burning through TM-62 anti-tank mines positioned along a riverbank. The mines were said to have been neutralized without detonation, disintegrating under the concentrated laser beam.
According to Russian sources, the working range of the system reaches up to 200 meters. The Ignis complex appears to be a compact, mobile laser platform designed for engineering or demining support missions. Mounted on the Kurier unmanned robotic ground vehicle (UGV), it reflects Moscow’s growing interest in directed-energy weapons for battlefield applications.
The Ignis laser system’s emergence follows earlier Russian efforts to develop laser-based counter-drone and air-defense systems, including the Peresvet project. Unlike those large-scale, strategic systems, the Ignis appears to be designed for tactical use at short range, potentially supporting engineering units, sappers, or specialized unmanned formations.