- China's state-owned
defense conglomerates are looking to take their latest laser weapons onto the international arms market, and state media is giving them a leg up. - China's military arsenal has been complimented by a host of new laser weapons, all of which have a "bright future' on the international arms market, according to foreign language reports in The People's Daily and other major state-owned media.
- Chinese military analysts believe the weapons could "effectively contain tactical reconnaissance and prevent terror attacks and can be easily deployed on level ground," like for example, Tibet and islands of the South China Sea.
China commitment to new-tech military hardware are proof that it's latest laser weapons have a "bright future" on the international arms market, state media has claimed in multiple write-ups aimed at international arms dealers and nation-state buyers.
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, has developed a road-mobile laser defense system called the LW-30, which uses a high-energy laser beam to destroy targets.
CASIC, China's largest maker of missiles, has also brought the CM-401 supersonic anti-ship ballistic missile to market, describing it to the China Daily as capable of making rapid, precision strikes against medium-sized or large vessels, or against land targets.
For a closer look at the CM-401, visit Jane's Defense weekly here.
CASIC claims the weapon uses a "near-space trajectory", which means it flies up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) above the ground, maneuvering at hypersonic speeds towards its target.
Meanwhile, China South Industries Group Corporation (CSIGC) a major manufacturer of military ground weapons, wants to secure buyers for its mine-clearing laser gun.
Carried by a light-duty armored vehicle and together with the laser weapon system, CSICG unveiled the laser weapon during the recent Zhuhai China 2018 air show, creatively called the "light-vehicle laser demining and detonation system."
The system can destroy explosive devices such as mines through high-power laser irradiation at a long distance, avoiding casualties caused by manual bomb disposal, designers told state-owned media.
Flying off the shelves
According to Global Security, CSIGC is an especially large and internationally operating state-owned corporate established under the State Council, which falls under the purview of Premier Li Keqiang.
With splashes across all the major state-owned foreign language media, the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC) has begun a strange sales strategy for its newly developed road-mobile laser defense system.
China has pumped money and perhaps a little hyperbole into its laser weaponry research, but according to state media, the LW-30 is going to fly off the shelves.
The LW-30 uses a high-energy laser beam to destroy targets ranging from drones and guided bombs to mortar shells. It features high efficiency, rapid response, a good hit rate and flexibility, according to CASIC.
An LW-30 combat unit includes one radar-equipped vehicle for battlefield communications and control and at least one laser gun-carrying vehicle and one logistical support vehicle.
The laser gun can be deployed with close-in weapons systems and air-defense missiles to form a defensive network free of blind spots, CASIC claims.
According to The People's Daily, in a typical scenario, the LW-30's radar will scan, detect and track an incoming target before transmitting the information to the laser gun.
The gun will reportedly then analyze the most vulnerable part of the target and lay a laser beam onto it.
"Destruction takes place in a matter of seconds," according to People's.
As part of the sales pitch, People's cited a Beijing-based "observer of advanced weaponry," who seemed to suggest that the new laser weapons were a more effective and less expensive way to intercept guided weaponry.
Wu Peixin, the said "observer of advanced weaponry" told China Daily the new weapons would sell well on arms markets.
"Therefore, a laser gun is the most suitable weapon to defend against these threats," he said. "Every military power in the world has been striving to develop laser weapons. They have bright prospects in the international arms market."
In addition to CASIC, other state-owned defense conglomerates are ready to take their laser weapon systems to market, although science has it's doubters.
China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation is the world's largest shipbuilder, and its technology is undoubtedly dual-use. That is to say, one of the reasons China's navy has been built up so quickly is because of the initial investments made way back by Deng Xiao Ping to revive China's shipbuilding capacity - all but ignored under Mao Zedong - have resulted in CSIC and other shipbuilders producing both leisure and military naval technology.
CSIC meanwhile, claims has made another vehicle-mounted laser weapon that integrates detection and control devices and the laser gun in one six-wheeled vehicle.
"Observers said the system should be fielded to deal with low-flying targets such as small unmanned aircraft," state media said.
Showcasing a defense industrial base amid rising global tensions
Before market reforms reinvigorated the People's liberation Army and the defense industry in China, five corporations and one ministry represented China's defense industrial base, now each of the five corporations have been divided into two competing corporations in the shipbuilding, aviation, nuclear, ordnance and missile/aerospace arenas.
The current organization of China's defense industrial base is pretty simple - two competing corporations face one a other in the five key divisions through shipbuilding, aviation, nuclear, ordnance and missile/aerospace.
These include China North Industries Group Corporation (CNIGC) and China South Industries Group Corporation (CSIGC). Each with friendlier subordinate import/export set ups - China North Industries Corporation and China Great Wall Industries Corporation - which facilitate import and sales of commercial and military goods for profit.
Strategic competition with the US is pushing China to speed up the development of new weaponry, from rail gun technology, laser weaponry and hypersonic vehicles and is probably fast tracking and promoting its military inroads amid rising geopolitical tensions.