- China particulars microwave weapon designed to disable drone swarms past 3km
- Hurricane 3000 makes use of excessive energy microwaves to fry drone electronics
- System is meant as a part of China’s layered air protection technique
China has revealed new particulars a few excessive energy microwave weapon it says can disable drone swarms at distances past these claimed by comparable US techniques.
The truck mounted system, often known as the Hurricane 3000, is designed to destroy or shut down drones by frying onboard electronics with targeted microwave power.
Its developer, state owned defense contractor Norinco, said the weapon has an effective interception range of more than 3km against light and small unmanned aerial vehicles.
An iron triangle
“Its effective interception range exceeds 3km [1.86 miles] against light and small [unmanned aerial vehicles] and drone swarms, placing it at the forefront of similar systems both domestically and internationally,” said Yu Jianjun, a Norinco expert, in comments reported by the South China Morning Post.
Yu mentioned the added vary permits the system to maneuver past level protection, which protects particular person belongings at brief vary, and into broader space denial roles.
He mentioned the Hurricane 3000 can function by itself or be networked with laser weapons and standard air protection artillery to kind what he described as an “iron triangle” towards drones.
“This allows it to hold out various air protection missions, together with level protection, border and coastal safety, and concrete public security operations,” Yu mentioned.
Excessive energy microwave weapons differ from missiles and weapons by emitting broad space bursts of electromagnetic power that disable electronics nearly immediately.
In contrast to jamming techniques, usually described as smooth kill instruments, microwave weapons bodily injury or shut down parts contained in the drone.
Norinco mentioned the Hurricane 3000 makes use of radar to detect and observe targets earlier than switching to electro optical sensors for exact visible locking.
As soon as locked, the system radiates microwave power via an antenna panel to neutralize the goal.
In contrast with laser based mostly weapons, which normally have interaction one goal at a time, microwave techniques cowl a wider space and are thought of higher suited to swarm assaults.
The corporate mentioned such techniques have a close to limitless journal, a low value per shot, and minimal collateral injury.
The Hurricane 3000 has been proven publicly alongside the smaller Hurricane 2000, which has a reported vary of about 2km.
The US Military’s comparable system, Leonidas, developed by Epirus, is reported to have an efficient vary of round 2km.
Yu mentioned Norinco can also be exploring expanded roles for microwave weapons, together with disrupting communications, countering airborne reconnaissance, and appearing as non deadly denial techniques.
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