Japan: Defence firms unveil high energy laser wielding anti-drone weapons
Anti-drone laser system
In a first, two Japanese firms recently unveiled their respective laser systems which will be used to shoot down incoming unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, reported the United States-based online newspaper The Diplomat.
This comes amid concerns about an increased presence of Chinese and Russian militaries near Japan which has seemingly prompted Tokyo to ramp up investment in such technology.
The companies in question are the Japan-based Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) who displayed this technology at the DSEI Japan 2023 show, held in Chiba Prefecture.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ 10-kilowatt laser system
A video by MHI shows the 10-kilowatt (kilowatt) fibre laser shooting down drones at a distance of at least 1.2 kilometres within two to three seconds. The officials from the company also plan to deliver the prototype to the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) in December, as per The Diplomat.
Speaking about the lasers’ features, MHI also said the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) can be fitted onto ground vehicles for mobility and also utilised by the land bases of the Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces. “Any Self-Defense Force can use it from the ground as long as it is intended to shoot down flying objects,” said an MHI official, as quoted by the Washington-based newspaper.
When asked about the laser system’s capabilities to intercept incoming missiles an official said that while they have not conducted a “high level of research in-house”, it may be possible by increasing the output energy.
In 2021, the Japan-based firm also signed a $6 million contract with the MoD’s Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency (ATLA) to build a prototype of a vehicle-mounted high-power laser demonstration device.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ 100-kW and 2-kW laser system
On the other hand, KHI has been developing a more powerful 100-kilowatt vehicle-mounted laser system, reported the Diplomat. According to KHI officials, their device in the two-kilowatt laser prototype can eliminate UAVs at the range of several 100 metres.
Additionally, both their two-kilowatt and 100-kilowatt laser systems use the same one-micrometre band fibre laser. The system detects a drone with an infrared (IR) camera, tracks it down and then shoots it with the laser, said the report citing officials.
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According to the media report one of their prototypes has already been sent to the ATLA earlier this year and will begin tests and evaluation this month. In 2021, the KHI was allocated around $21 million from the MoD budget for demonstration costs of the vehicle-mounted laser system, reported The Diplomat.
Notably, KHI’s 100-kilowatt laser system would be mounted on a larger, trailer-type vehicle given the increased power output of the lasers which require a large power supply and cooling water circulation system.
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