As China unveils latest laser weapon, India has one up its sleeve

China showcased its military prowess in Beijing on Wednesday, unveiling laser systems, nuclear missiles, giant underwater drones, and advanced unmanned ground support at a parade in Tiananmen Square to mark the 80th anniversary of its victory over Japan in World War II.

LY-1, a directed-energy weapon (DEW) system, was seen in public for the first time. The shipborne laser system is primarily intended for naval self defence, according to reports earlier. It is mounted on an eight-wheeled HZ-155 armoured truck and is capable of damaging enemy weapons and optical sensors of equipment.

Laser-based directed-energy weapons are seen as the future of modern warfare, offering silent, precise and cheaper alternatives to traditional missiles. China has been steadily working on laser weapons to counter drone attacks.

India has successfully developed a laser-based DEW capable of neutralising aerial threats, including those from fixed-wing aircraft, missiles, and swarm drones. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has indigenously designed a 30-kilowatt Mk-II(A) DEW system, which was successfully tested in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, in April.

The system displayed its full range of capabilities: from engaging fixed-wing drones far away to defeating multiple drone attacks and destroying enemy surveillance sensors and antennae, according to the DRDO website.

While laser-based DEW systems are said to be cost-effective against small drones, their greater effectiveness has been questioned.

“A laser is not going to be effective against drones because it needs a drill time of at least 30 seconds to a minute. And if a drone shifts even by two inches, that little jitter resets the drill from T0. So it is not easy to consistently focus on the same spot for one minute,” said Col A P Mulimani (retd.), vice-president of Zen Technologies, during a conference in July.

The United Kingdom, too, has developed DEW systems, with its defence ministry successfully testing its DragonFire laser system last year. In trials at the Hebrides Range, the system achieved remarkable accuracy, striking targets with precision a kilometre away, according to the ministry’s website.

UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps called it “cutting-edge weaponry” that could “revolutionise the battlespace by reducing reliance on expensive ammunition, while also lowering the risk of collateral damage.”