Russia's newest mobile laser system, used by fighters of the Kochevnik Special Purpose Unit (OSpN), turned out to be a Chinese development. Military expert Dylan Malyasov writes about this in Defence blog.
The expert came to this conclusion after analyzing a video of the air defense system published in January 2026. In the footage, Kochevnik effectively destroys drones.
This is the Laser Assisted Security System (LASS) combat laser installation, known as "Silent Hunter". It was developed in China for export sales.
According to some reports, Silent Hunter was created by specialists from the China Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP). The short-range air defense system is capable of hitting various targets, including drones.
Silent Hunter is a platform equipped with optical guidance sensors and a laser emitter with a power of about 10 kW. The counter-drone weapon detects and destroys targets with a directed energy beam.
Malyasov emphasized that Russia still relies on foreign solutions in the fight against drones. However, Silent Hunter has also been spotted in service with the militaries of Iran and Saudi Arabia. Middle Eastern countries use the combat laser to protect their bases from aerial threats.
Features of the Kochevnik combat laser:
- Accuracy
- High reaction speed
- Range — up to 2 km
- Cheaper to operate than missile systems