Ukraine Strikes Russians with Drone-Laser-Guided Munitions

The Militarnyi outlet recently reported that the Ukrainian army used laser-guided munitions for the first time by designating a target with a Raybird drone. Previously, the Ukrainians had employed ammunition guided by a reflected laser beam (primarily artillery shells, and in the early phase of the war, also bombs from Bayraktar TB-2 drones). Targets for artillery were usually illuminated using handheld laser designators.

This solution was necessary because Kyiv, despite having a very wide array of drones, lacked systems capable of target designation (apart from the Bayratar drones, which are, however, vulnerable to anti-aircraft defenses).

In 2022, Ukrainian 152 mm howitzer shells from the Kwitnik system were repeatedly guided using handheld laser designators. These shells proved effective in combat conditions, but their production had to be halted.

In the second half of 2024, Ukrainian special operations forces, during an offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, designated targets for another type of ammunition guided by a reflected laser beam, the American Copperhead system. These shells, introduced at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s and produced for several years, were transferred to Ukraine as part of one of the military aid batches, almost certainly from the USA. Although production of Copperhead-type ammunition ended in the 1990s, these shells—first used during Operation Desert Storm—remained in storage and were employed by U.S. allies, including by the Lebanese army in 2017 to fight ISIS.

The first combat use of the Copperhead shell occurred with target designation from a ground system by Leonardo. Recently, however, the Militarnyi outlet reported that a modification of the Ukrainian ACS-3 Raybird drone by Skyeton, capable of designating targets for laser-guided ammunition, had been successfully tested. The work adapting the drone for this task lasted two years and „thousands of hours.” The primary challenge was to properly stabilize the turret so that it continuously designates the target „dead center” from a relatively small flying vehicle.

The Ukrainians managed to achieve this and subsequently put the system into combat use. During a live firing exercise, when a target (a group of infantry in a building) was detected, it was illuminated from the drone, and an as-yet-unnamed laser-guided ammunition system effectively struck the target. The Ukrainians emphasize that combining laser guidance with a drone allows for precise target engagement without needing to involve ground soldiers in target designation.

The drone can operate at an altitude of up to 2.4 km and at a distance of 5 km from the target, enabling it to function beyond the reach of direct fire from small arms.

Laser guidance (probably also using Copperhead ammunition here) enables a target to be destroyed with a single shell, whether it’s a fortification or a vehicle. This increases both the effectiveness and survivability of artillery and simplifies logistics, as such firing causes significantly less barrel wear.

If Ukraine manages to deploy drones and laser-guided ammunition on a larger scale, it could significantly strengthen its armed forces. Kyiv currently possesses guided bomb units that can use laser guidance systems, but considering the limitations of airpower, artillery ammunition appears to be more crucial. The Russians use similar systems too; since 2022, they have employed 152 mm Krasnopol artillery shells, some of which are designated by drones. One such shell was used to disable a Ukrainian Abrams tank in the first half of 2024, with the target designated from a drone.

It is also possible that in the future Ukraine will receive ground-launched GLDSB shells with guided bombs, but featuring an additional laser guidance module. As recently as the end of 2023, it turned out that systems with a range of 150 km did not perform well, probably due to radio-electronic interference with the GPS system (unlike SDBs dropped from MiG-29 and Su-27 aircraft, which the Ukrainians rate highly). However, if laser-guided GLSDB shells were introduced, the inertial navigation system would only need to bring the guided bombs to an area near the target, with final „point” guidance in the last phase of flight provided by the laser system.

Information from Ukraine on the use of laser-guided munitions and drone-based target designation also has a Polish context. In Poland, Mesko, in cooperation with CRW Telesystem-Mesko, has developed Precision Strike Ammunition (APR) —guided by a reflected laser beam—for 155 mm howitzers such as the Krab and K9. This ammunition is equipped with a national guidance system that complies with NATO standards and is compatible with the anti-tank guided missile, known as Pirat.

The APR 155 ammunition has repeatedly undergone field tests, demonstrating high firing accuracy (with deviations of less than 1 m from the target), which practically translates into the ability to directly hit an armored vehicle or a fortified position. CRW Telesystem-Mesko has also developed a laser designation system intended for this type of munitions.

The Polish laser designation system is compatible with the NATO standard STANAG 3733. This means it can be used to designate targets not only for Polish systems but also for NATO systems, including the aforementioned GLSDB. Conversely, Polish laser-guided ammunition can utilize target designation from allied systems.

The Polish industry also has the potential to develop unmanned systems capable of laser target designation for such ammunition. This could lead to the creation of a domestic family of target detection and engagement systems for artillery that remains entirely under national control. Moreover, laser-guided ammunition has export potential, as demonstrated by Ukraine’s experience. Such ammunition might also interest Kyiv, as it is one of the largest users of 155 mm howitzers (and the largest user of combat-utilized ammunition). Additionally, laser designation systems are often added to other munitions to enhance their resistance to interference and precision. Examples include the French Katana, the American Excalibur, and Laser JDAM bombs. Turkey is also developing its own family of laser-guided munitions, supplemented with 155 mm shells and anti-tank missiles.

Laser-guided ammunition remains one of the promising munitions systems, and Poland already has ready systems with potential for further development, in terms of both firing range and deployment platforms. However, to fully exploit this potential, it is necessary to secure serial orders for 155 mm ammunition, which will serve as a basis for further advancement.