Harbin Xinguang Optoelectronics has unveiled its Lijian series of portable laser systems, designed for individual use by soldiers in the field.
Weighing just 25 kilograms, this compact laser system boasts an effective operational range capable of neutralizing low-altitude targets up to 500 meters away. Once it locks onto and tracks a target, it can completely disable the key power and control components of an approaching drone in just four seconds, with a post-shot cooldown period of less than five seconds.
With a recharge time under five seconds per unit, the system can theoretically intercept nearly 10 different low-altitude targets within a single minute. When multiple systems are networked and interconnected, interception efficiency can be further enhanced.
The product has undergone full-scale testing and validation and has been deployed at several military airfields to perform low-altitude air defense missions. Each setup costs approximately 2 million yuan (around $300,000), making the total operational cost significantly lower than that of traditional air defense interception methods.
According to information displayed at the booth, the entire prevention and control system can autonomously identify targets using its built-in artificial intelligence module. It can also interface with external radar detection signals to complete targeting and automatic acquisition of all drones that enter its engagement zone.
This means it is no longer a laser device operated by a single soldier, but rather a terminal interception node capable of integrating into a global air defense early warning network. Once a target is detected remotely by radar, the entire system can autonomously carry out the full process—identification, tracking, target acquisition, and firing. The operator only needs to confirm the final step.
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