By South China Morning Post | Created at 2026-08-10 13:12:03 | Updated at 2026-08-10 13:48:45
45 minutes ago
Analysts say deploying the LY-1-equipped vessel during Scarborough Shoal drill was meant to send a message to Manila and Washington
Published: 9:03pm, 10 Aug 2026
China’s most advanced laser weapon has been spotted aboard a Type 071 amphibious landing ship in the South China Sea, adding near-shore anti-drone capabilities to a family of warships vital for potential conflicts in sensitive waters, according to analysts.
In a People’s Liberation Army joint air and naval drill at Scarborough Shoal on August 1, a shipborne laser weapon believed to be the
Liaoyuan-1 (LY-1) was seen on the Qilianshan, making it the latest large surface vessel so far equipped with the anti-drone directed-energy weapon.
During the drill at the disputed shoal, known in China as Huangyan Island, a rectangular object was seen behind the Qilianshan’s 76mm dual-purpose gun, according to video footage released by state broadcaster CCTV.
Lu Li-shih, a retired Taiwanese navy lieutenant commander, said the object was likely to be the LY-1, which debuted at the Victory Day military parade in Beijing last September.
The LY-1 is tasked with close-range interception of incoming missiles and drones, serving as the last line of defence within the shipborne air-defence system.
“Once these ships are close to the adversary’s nearshore waters, they could be attacked by unmanned aerial or surface drones. So compared with destroyers and frigates, amphibious ships need the high-energy weapon more,” Lu said.
