By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-11-14 06:09:54 | Updated at 2024-11-22 13:48:09
1 week ago
Advanced drone combat swarms and the systems to counter them – deemed crucial in a possible war scenario over Taiwan – are among the new weapons on display at China’s giant air show in Zhuhai.
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation debuted its FK-4000 mobile air defence weapons system which uses high-power microwaves (HPM) to intercept the smallest, lightest drones down to micro unmanned aerial aircraft.
The FK-4000 features an antenna array that is about eight metres (26ft) wide and capable of delivering microwave blasts to a distance of up to 3km (nearly two miles) in less than a second.
Microwaves are not only faster than traditional means of counter-attack, they are also basically invisible and can attack a bigger surface area, making them a more effective tool than lasers for large areas.
Also on show was an HPM system developed by Norico Group, which features a microwave emitter array of about the same size as the FK-4000, with a tracking mount and a search and tracking integrated radar on top.
Another defence systems giant, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), has also incorporated the technology’s advantages into its Thunder Low-Altitude Defence System.
