The effect of an optical pulsed discharge created by CO2 laser with an average power of up to 2.2 kW on the aerodynamic drag of a model in a supersonic air flow is experimentally investigated. Experiments were carried out in a supersonic wind tunnel MAU-M (diameter of the nozzle outlet dc = 50 mm) on the modes M = 1,4, Re1 = 1.4-3.8*107 1 / m. To ensure a stable optical breakdown, a jet of argon gas was introduced into the focusing region of the laser radiation.