China’s most recent decision to install a light tool on an aquatic war ship represents a significant expansion of its naval capabilities, reversing previous trends toward energy-based defenses and escalating tensions in the Pacific.
A new light weapons program has been installed in a Model 071 amphibious transport dock, according to a report from The War Zone this month.
The ship, reportedly the Siming Shan, with the crossbow quickly aft of the spear’s 76mm gun, was hidden under a dome-like support when not in use, according to The War Zone.
According to the document, this action echoes the efforts of the US and other countries to put directed energy arms on their ships, as demonstrated by the USS Portland’s Laser Weapon System Demonstrator.
According to the report, China’s laser system, whose details are still undetermined, is intended to boost defense against small-boat swarms and unmanned aircraft, with potential dazzler capabilities for blind sensors and seekers.
The War Zone states that the Type 071 fleet, close to the US San Antonio course, serves as a test platform for the light tool, indicating China’s growing curiosity in enhancing its naval battle technology.
In the South China Sea, China has recently used light arms in non-lethal ways. In a number of maritime skirmishes in June, Chinese maritime law enforcement officers focused what appeared to be a bright light on Spanish officers who were documenting the experience.
In February 2023, the Philippines claimed that China had fired a military-grade light at a Spanish Coast Guard vessel while conducting a recharge vision to the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.
The event, which briefly blinded the Philippine team, took place shortly after the Philippines gave the US more complete access to its military installations. China’s Foreign Ministry denied using laser against the BRP Malapascua, asserting that the Philippine ship had entered the area without license.
These activities go against China’s proper “war without gunsmoke” and aim to undermine allies ‘ confidence in China’s resolve and strengthen China’s positional advantage in the area.
China may have taken training from the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the Ukraine war by mounting a new form of light tool on its Model 071 amphibious transportation dock.
Unmanned surface vehicles ( USVs ) have severely damaged Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine, while the Houthi’s arsenal of ballistic missiles and suicide drones has stretched US and allied interceptor missile stockpiles.
In April 2024, Asia Times reported that Taiwan, drawing lessons from Ukraine’s marine successes, is escalating its USV production to store possible Chinese aggression. The use of USVs against Russia’s marine assets in the Black Sea is at least a part of Taiwan’s strategic move toward asymmetrical satellite war.
A US$$ 25 million development programme for USVs has been launched by Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology to begin production of at least 200 vessels by 2026.
These USVs, costing around US$ 250, 000 each, are designed for murder strikes against People’s Liberation Army Navy ( PLA-N) boats and can be operated remotely from up to 70 meters away.
Taiwan may become gaining USV creation a boost from the US. Asia Times reported in February 2024 that the US Department of Defense ( DOD ) is actively seeking design proposals for a new fleet of low-cost, highly autonomous drone boats known as the Production-Ready, Inexpensive, Maritime Expeditionary ( PRIME) Small Unmanned Surface Vehicle ( SUSV ) project.
In light of the proper insight gained from the Ukraine conflict, this initiative aims to strengthen coastal military functions. The proposed SUSVs are expected to have a variety of 926 to 1, 852 meters, carry a load of 450 kilograms and obtain a sprint rate of at least 35 knots.
They must also navigate autonomously, even in GPS-denied environments, and feature a resilient manufacturing supply chain for critical components.
The PRIME project emphasizes the value of cooperative autonomy and the ability to integrate various modular payloads, sensors, and effectors.
These drone ships could significantly improve the capabilities of foreign allies and partners, including Taiwan and the Philippines, making them an affordable option for asymmetric naval warfare in the context of a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait.
In addition to USVs, Taiwan’s new loitering munitions may have given China a sense of urgency to develop laser weapons as a cost-effective countermeasure, given the inconsequential use of multi-million-dollar interceptor missiles against suicide drones that cost just a few thousand dollars each.
This month, The Aviationist reported that Taiwan is set to deploy its Chien Hsiang loitering munitions in a large-scale “precision live-fire exercise” from August 20-22 near Jiupeng Base in Pingtung. The Aviationist claims that this is the first time the domestically developed drones, which were unveiled in 2019, are actually used. They resemble the Israeli IAI Harpy.
The Aviationist says the Chien Hsiang, designed to engage enemy missile positions and radar stations, has two variants: an anti-radiation weapon and a decoy.
It states that with a range of 1, 000 kilometers, speeds of up to 600 kilometers per hour and five-hour endurance, these drones can autonomously navigate to preset waypoints and are launched from a 12-cell trailer-mounted launcher.
In addition to the Chien Hsiang, Asia Times reported in June 2024 that the US has approved the potential sale to Taiwan of Switchblade 300 and Anduril ALTIUS 600M loitering munitions, both of which have been combat-tested in Ukraine.
The US Navy is working to improve its anti-air defenses with pure energy weapons, according to Defense One’s report this month, in contrast to China’s progress with using and developing laser weapons. Defense One claims that the lack of a commercial market for enough powerful lasers has hindered US progress.
The main challenge is developing lasers that can defuse missiles from miles away, a technology that is not fueled by increasing commercial demand. It asserts that as offensive missiles and drones become more accessible and deadly, the need for cost-effective and flexible defenses grows.
Defense One notes that although the US Navy has deployed experimental lasers, such as the Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy ( ODIN ) and the 120-kilowatt High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance ( HELIOS), their effectiveness against fast-moving or non-optical sensor weapons is still limited.
According to the report, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and US defense contractor Lockheed Martin collaborate to test and create prototypes of up to 500 kilowatts. However, it points out that integrating these systems into a layered defense strategy is challenging.
According to Defense One, the US has tested individual directed-energy devices per ship in an effort to create a multi-system defense in the upcoming years. It does mention, however, that the US military continues to rely on expensive missiles to combat less expensive drones, which highlights the need for more effective measures.