To counter the US, China is racing against UAV technology and laser weapons.

Silent Hunter is a laser weapon that destroys mobile UAVs. Photo: AP

To protect drones from laser weapons and counter the technology that distorts the digital information collected by drones, China has developed a system called Silent Hunter, a laser weapon that destroys mobile UAVs. Silent Hunter has a range of up to 4 km and was recently unveiled at the Abu Dhabi defense exhibition in February.

Poly Technologies, the company that developed the Silent Hunter, says the weapon can penetrate five layers of 2mm-thick steel plates at a distance of 800m, or one layer of 5mm-thick steel plates at a distance of 1km.

Analysts say China is making rapid progress in laser and drone technology. Many large corporations and research institutes have joined the race to research anti-drone technology, including China National Nuclear Corporation, Novasky and the Beijing Institute of Technology.

Many new systems may not have been announced or demonstrated by China, according to Kelvin Wong, a space technology expert at IHS Markit. "I believe there are many Chinese state-owned and private companies and research institutes that have entered the drone market," he said.

Laser weapons. Photo: Getty

Meanwhile, expert Arthur Holland Michel of the Center for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Research at Bard College, USA, assessed that companies participating in the technology race could suddenly bring about a breakthrough in the development of anti-UAV systems.

“We are talking about a growing technology sector, where even a small startup can come up with a genius solution, like DJI did a few years ago, and now has taken over the drone market,” Michel commented.

DJI is a Chinese startup headquartered in Shenzhen. DJI manufactures commercial drones for photography and videography. DJI also designs and manufactures control and flight support systems for UAVs. The company currently holds 70% of the global market share for civilian drones.

However, experts say US anti-drone systems are still much more advanced than China’s. They have a greater range, a wider range of sensor technologies, and are developed by more companies.

The US currently has more than 60 anti-UAV systems or products that use radar, radio waves, electronic and acoustic detection and tracking to prevent or even destroy enemy aircraft.

According to a report by the Center for the Study of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, US systems could interfere with enemy communications or destroy UAVs with lasers or bullets.

Lockheed Martin recently launched a defense system against the UAE using high-power microwaves. This is a laser weapon that can be mounted on fighter jets, so it has the ability to attack more effectively than handheld or ground-mounted devices. The US military said it planned to buy this device from Lockheed Martin./.