China Develops Anti-Drone Laser

China announced on November 2nd that it had completed development of an anti-drone laser weapon that would utilize photoelectric lasers to destroy small, low-altitude drones. This laser, known as the Low Altitude Sentinel (LAS) system, is capable of shooting down drones that fly at an altitude of 500 meters and a speed below 180 km/h, within a 1.25 mile radius. This system can either be installed on or transported by vehicles, and will be used primarily for urban security. In its latest test, the LAS system shot down 30 drones at a perfect kill rate. This futuristic technology will have a lasting impact on protecting China’s foreign and domestic interests while also shaping how other countries will tailor their policies toward China. On the surface, this development demonstrates the significant progress that China has made in modernizing its military and provides much-needed validation for China’s massive public investment in defense.  China recently increased its military spending by 12.2%, a marked rise from recent years. According to Wu Peixin, an aviation industry observer in Beijing, no other foreign military has weapons that can match the accuracy and effectiveness of the LAS  system when it comes to shooting down small drones. This observation is obviously based on an increasingly large and sophisticated Chinese drone fleet. China has already been rumored to have one of the largest drone fleets in the world, second only to the United States, and its military has developed different types of drones to serve a variety of purposes. Currently, China has around “900 different types of drones, ranging from micro, blimps, unmanned combat air vehicles, and rotary-wing UAV”, according to the International Business Times.

This increasingly sophisticated and large drone fleet has caused issues with China’s neighbors. Japan voiced its opposition to drones being flown over its territory, specifically over the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. In fact, tensions over drones escalated to the point that international observers warned of a new arms race between China and Japan on developing and producing drones. The LAS technology could be the latest step in this drone race. By acquiring anti-drone technology, the Chinese military would have a distinct advantage over its neighbors by preventing other countries from flying their drones in China while still maintaining its drone fleet. It will be interesting to see how other East Asian countries react to this new Chinese technology.

In addition, this development of a defense system centered on urban security also highlights a growing problem in China: homegrown terrorism. Xinhua News has pointed out that terrorists could take advantage of drone technology to mount attacks on the civilian population, since drones are cheap, easy to use, and hard to shoot down. Moreover, they are also a safe and effective method to carry out espionage and targeted strikes, by minimizing casualties on the side of the terrorists. With unrest fermenting in China’s western regions, particularly Xinjiang, extremists have shown themselves powerful enough to launch attacks against the Chinese government. Whether or not the LAS system was built explicitly for the purpose of mitigating the terrorist threat, it clearly has the potential to do so. It remains to be seen where China will deploy its LAS capabilities once they become fully functional.

The newly developed anti-drone laser weapon, therefore, represents a highly sophisticated technology that could have lasting impacts on both China’s foreign and domestic policy. By developing this laser, China can protect its national airspace by preventing other countries from conducting espionage and military missions with their drones. As a result, China could gain a valuable advantage in the ever militarized East Asia/Pacific region. This new weapon can also help protect China from domestic terrorist attacks. With a recent uptick in ethnic unrest in China’s western regions, an anti-drone weapon can help quell these rebellions. Therefore, the investment that China has made in developing its military technology has clearly shown to be bearing fruit.