China’s military parade showcased a formidable arsenal on Wednesday, potentially challenging the West’s longstanding influence over global affairs.
Amidst the synchronized display of tanks and soldiers, a small white box atop a transporter symbolized a significant shift in the balance of power.
Xi Jinping, alongside Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, presented the LY-1 shipborne laser weapon, propelling China’s navy into the future of combat technology.
China is not the first to develop such a weapon, but it is quickly surpassing the capabilities of its potential adversaries.
The United States and Britain have been advancing their own energy weapon technologies, responding to the increasing prowess of this eastern superpower.
In this analysis, we examine the significant investments made by these three countries in laser weaponry, the innovations they have revealed, and the implications for future warfare.
Xi Jinping showed off the LY-1 shipborne laser weapon at China’s military parade
China’s LY-1 may not be the most extravagant-looking weapon on show. But behind its white casing lies the potential to cause severe damage.
While specific capabilities remain unknown, experts fear it can burn through electronics, blind sensors and leave pilots impaired mid-flight.
It has been speculated that when the ship’s radar detects an incoming threat, the LY-1 will track the path of the incoming threat to destroy it.
China is not alone in thrusting itself into a new era of laser warfare.
Britain is developing a high-energy laser known as DragonFire as part of a £5 billion initiative, aiming to protect troops and warships with cutting-edge drone and laser technologies.
The Ministry of Defence has tested it at ranges in Scotland and Wiltshire, with trials showing it can lock on and destroy drones.
DragonFire is being developed by a team including MBDA, QinetiQ and Leonardo. Officials say the system is in the 50-kilowatt class.
Each shot costs just a few pounds, far cheaper than firing a missile worth hundreds of thousands.
The UK plans to mount DragonFire on Royal Navy ships from 2027. A land version is also being trialled on army vehicles.
Last year in October, it was announced that lasers capable of taking down heat-seeking missiles had been tested on British aircraft for the first time.
The Ministry of Defence touted its success, saying the air protection lasers had destroyed 100 per cent of its targets during a test in Sweden.
It is able to detect incoming missiles to track and destroy them by shooting a jamming laser with ultimate precision.
The DragonFire laser system being trialled at the Ministry of Defence’s Hebrides Range. DragonFire is being developed by a team including MBDA, QinetiQ and Leonardo. Officials say the system is in the 50-kilowatt class
The Ministry of Defence has tested it at ranges in Scotland and Wiltshire, with trials showing it can lock on and destroy drones
A picture shows the damage DragonFire did to a mortar casing during a test . The cost of operating the laser is less than £1- per shot, according to the Ministry of Defence
At the time, a statement from the MoD said: ‘Threats are defeated faster than the time it takes to read this sentence.’ The statement added: ‘DragonFire exploits UK technology to be able to deliver a high-power laser over long ranges.
‘The precision required is equivalent to hitting a £1 coin from a kilometre away.
‘Laser-directed energy weapons can engage targets at the speed of light and use an intense beam of light to cut through the target, leading to structural failure or more impactful results if the warhead is targeted.
‘Firing it for 10 seconds is the cost equivalent of using a regular heater for just an hour.
The AN/SEQ-3 Laser Weapon System (LaWS) was the US Navy’s first operational directed-energy weapon. The system demonstrated the ability to disable drones, small boats, and rocket-propelled grenades with precision
The system paved the way for more advanced ones like HELIOS, fired by USS Preble in this photo
‘Therefore, it has the potential to be a long-term low-cost alternative to certain tasks missiles currently carry out. The cost of operating the laser is typically less than £10 per shot.’
America, meanwhile, has poured billions into laser research and now has the widest set of systems in use, ahead of both Britain and China.
It’s been reported that the nation invests $1billion annually to improve its energy weapons, according to CBS News.
One of its most advanced systems is the High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS).
On the seas, the US Navy has installed HELIOS on the destroyer USS Preble.
Built by Lockheed Martin, it is a 60-kilowatt-class weapon that can burn drones out of the sky and also blind enemy sensors.
Built by Lockheed Martin, HELIOS is a 60-kilowatt-class weapon that can burn drones out of the sky and also blind enemy sensors
HELIOS aboard the USS Preble in San Diego last year. It is a 60-kilowatt-class weapon that can burn drones out of the sky and also blind enemy sensors
Delivering concentrated energy at the speed of light, it is tied into the ship’s radar and fire control so it can react automatically to threats.
HELIOS is a multi-mission system, meaning it can provide long-range surveillance.
According to reports, its design makes it possible for future upgrades to up to 120 kilowatts or even more.
Like Britain’s system, it is cheap to operate compared to missiles and has limitless firepower.
