To counter the US, China races in anti-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 launched at the Abu Dhabi defense exhibition last February.

Poly Technologies, the group that developed Silent Hunter, said the weapon can penetrate five layers of 2mm thick steel plates at a distance of 800m, or one layer of 5mm thick steel plates from 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,” Mr. 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 unveiled a defense system against the UAE using high-energy 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./.