Saifullah Sani
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China develops laser to take out small UAVs
China has developed a laser weapon designed to intercept and destroy small low-flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), according to Xinhua news agency.
During tests in early November, the system managed to shoot down 30 UAVs within five seconds of detection, which Xinhua described as a "100% success rate".
The system is called Dikong Weishi, best translated as 'low-altitude guard'. It has been developed by the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP) and the China Jiuyuan Hi-tech Equipment Corporation (CJHTE). Xinhua said Dikong Weishi has been developed to counter terrorist-operated UAVs in public areas and will be deployed mainly to provide security during large public events.
The system has a maximum interception radius of 2 km 2 and can guard the airspace of an area of 12 km 2 with a 360° view, according to Chinese military news websites. Maximum altitude is 500 m and the speed of the target cannot exceed 50 m/s.
It can be deployed at a fixed location or on a ground vehicle and works against fixed-wing, rotary wing, and multirotor UAVs. CAEP and CJHTE are currently working on a more powerful variant of the system with a greater range.
CAEP is China's main nuclear weapons development and production base and the country's leading research institute for laser technology and application, shock and detonation physics, and nuclear physics and plasma physics. An entity directly under the Chinese central government, it was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Mianyang in Sichuan province.
CJHTE is a Beijing-based company fully owned by CAEP. Its main task is the development of products based on CAEP research, focusing on lasers and other high-tech equipment for hospitals.
ANALYSIS
In its coverage of the system, Chinese state media focused on the danger of UAVs being used by terrorists. What these articles don't say is that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is also very concerned about possible espionage activities by camera-equipped UAVs, of which, ironically, China is by far the largest producer.
China develops laser to take out small UAVs - IHS Jane's 360
China has developed a laser weapon designed to intercept and destroy small low-flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), according to Xinhua news agency.
During tests in early November, the system managed to shoot down 30 UAVs within five seconds of detection, which Xinhua described as a "100% success rate".
The system is called Dikong Weishi, best translated as 'low-altitude guard'. It has been developed by the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP) and the China Jiuyuan Hi-tech Equipment Corporation (CJHTE). Xinhua said Dikong Weishi has been developed to counter terrorist-operated UAVs in public areas and will be deployed mainly to provide security during large public events.
The system has a maximum interception radius of 2 km 2 and can guard the airspace of an area of 12 km 2 with a 360° view, according to Chinese military news websites. Maximum altitude is 500 m and the speed of the target cannot exceed 50 m/s.
It can be deployed at a fixed location or on a ground vehicle and works against fixed-wing, rotary wing, and multirotor UAVs. CAEP and CJHTE are currently working on a more powerful variant of the system with a greater range.
CAEP is China's main nuclear weapons development and production base and the country's leading research institute for laser technology and application, shock and detonation physics, and nuclear physics and plasma physics. An entity directly under the Chinese central government, it was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Mianyang in Sichuan province.
CJHTE is a Beijing-based company fully owned by CAEP. Its main task is the development of products based on CAEP research, focusing on lasers and other high-tech equipment for hospitals.
ANALYSIS
In its coverage of the system, Chinese state media focused on the danger of UAVs being used by terrorists. What these articles don't say is that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is also very concerned about possible espionage activities by camera-equipped UAVs, of which, ironically, China is by far the largest producer.
China develops laser to take out small UAVs - IHS Jane's 360
