Turkey Unveils World’s First Laser Tank - Capable of Zapping Drones Mid-Flight; Will Pakistan Get ALKA-KAPLAN Too?

The laser-powered tank, named ALKA-KAPLAN, is Turkey's latest creation in modern warfare.

Turkey has unveiled a tank that can detect drones with laser beams. (Photo: Facebook)

Ankara: In a remote testing ground outside the Turkish, a tank turned its turret skyward. A faint hum followed. Within seconds, a drone hovering in the air flickered, caught fire and spiralled down in flames. The weapon? A laser-powered tank named ALKA-KAPLAN. It is Turkey's latest creation in modern warfare.

This is not a fiction. For the first time, Turkey has publicly demonstrated a combat vehicle equipped with high-intensity laser beams capable of incinerating drones mid-flight. Engineers and defense officials call it a breakthrough. Soldiers who witnessed the trial described it as watching a silent firestorm.

What makes this tank different is not only the laser. It is a combination of next-generation tools – AI-driven tracking systems, electromagnetic jamming and precision-guided heat bursts. The laser the main weapon.

The ALKA-KAPLAN has been designed to fight flying robots. It is a drone that drops bombs, spies and travel in swarms. It is what militaries today fear most. With conflicts intensifying from Ukraine to the Middle East, such threats have become common.

Until now, countries had little choice but to fire costly missiles to destroy drones. A single interceptor can cost millions. Turkey’s laser tank flips that logic. It destroys enemy drones for a fraction of that cost without running out of ammo.

The system does not work alone. It is designed to move with foot soldiers and other tanks. On the ground, it detects improvised bombs. In the sky, it watches for airborne threats. It shields convoys. It guards critical buildings. And it does so silently, almost invisibly, until the moment it strikes.

Recent footage released by Turkey’s defense industry shows the tank in action. A compact drone rises into the sky. The tank’s sensors lock on. A narrow laser beam bursts forth. The drone wobbles and then catches fire mid-air. It is gone before the smoke clears.

Experts who reviewed the footage say the tank first jams the target, rendering it blind and then delivers a laser blast strong enough to tear through circuitry and burn the drone’s core. Some analysts believe the system can also target helicopters and ground explosives.

Turkey plans to officially showcase the ALKA-KAPLAN at the IDEF 2025 defense exhibition. But behind closed doors, it is already attracting interest. Reports suggest Pakistan could be a likely buyer. Observers point to Turkey’s growing military relationship with Islamabad, especially during sensitive operations like Operation Sindoor, when Ankara aligned itself with Pakistan.

The implications are clear. If Pakistan acquires the ALKA-KAPLAN, it could change how border conflicts unfold in the future, especially in regions like Kashmir, where drone use is already widespread.

Once a buyer of foreign arms, Turkey now stands on the edge of becoming a major global supplier. This tank is a message that the battlefield is changing. And Turkey wants to lead the change.