December 29, 2025
Ukrainian Armor plans to equip its Protector UGV with various weapons, including unnamed laser systems
The Ukrainian ground-based robotic system Protector, manufactured by Ukrainian Armor (part of NAIDU), may be equipped with laser weapons. This was announced by the company’s CEO, Vladislav Belbas.
“We are showing the system to partners in Europe. There is already interest, but large-scale purchases will follow once the full inspection cycle is completed. We are also working on installing various payloads, from combat modules to laser systems,” Belbas said in an interview with NV.
Ukrainian Armor has not yet disclosed which laser system it plans to equip Ukraine’s largest Protector UGV with. For instance, it should be noted that Ukraine’s Tryzub laser system was publicly demonstrated for the first time this spring.
The weapon’s characteristics were disclosed. Depending on the target type, its effective range is 3–5 km for target destruction and up to 10 km for optical blinding.
According to the CEO of Ukrainian Armor, the Protector UGV completed the codification process this summer, with several units currently testing it on the battlefield to verify its stated characteristics.
Regarding foreign interest in the UGV, Protector has attracted attention in Poland, where it was demonstrated during local exercises, including the Firestorm drills involving territorial defense forces.
Any new military development from Ukraine should attract attention from foreign observers, if they have any brains at all. Not saying it’s all good, but worth looking into, at any rate, given the successes the country enjoyed in military innovations. And, if viable, should be worth investing in or joining its further development or improvement.