Laser wars: US and China in arms race with drones and directed energy

The US and China are in a high-stakes race to master drone-killing technology, with both superpowers aiming to outdo drone swarms that promise to reshape the future of warfare.

This month, The War Zone reported that China’s directed-energy drone defense efforts are advancing, with several high-power microwave systems unveiled at the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow.

Highlights included three large mobile ground-based high-power microwave energy weapons designed primarily to neutralize drones.

The War Zone report mentions that these systems, developed by China South Industries Group Corporation (CSGC) and Norinco, include a microwave system mounted on an 8×8 lightly armored vehicle and another on an 8×8 truck the Shacman SX2400/2500 series. It is noted that these systems have planar arrays and radars for target detection and tracking.

The Zhuhai Airshow event highlighted the increasing global demand for anti-drone capabilities, driven by the increasing use of these weapons in armed conflicts, particularly in Ukraine.

While The War Zone report notes that the capabilities of these new systems remain unclear, their development and deployment reflect China’s strategic focus on countering airborne threats.

The War Zone also reported this month that the U.S. Army has achieved 170 successful drone kills with its Coyote Block 2 interceptors in various global operations, underscoring the increasing centrality of the anti-drone weapon in combating unmanned aerial threats .

The war zone report said the U.S. has deployed Coyote interceptors at 36 unspecified locations outside the U.S., including in regions under U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), and U.S. European Command (EUCOM).

The report said the Coyote Block 2, manufactured by US defense contractor Raytheon, uses a high-explosive warhead and is part of the Low, Slow, Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System (LIDS), which includes mobile and stationary components.

It says the US Army plans to add up to 6,700 new Coyote interceptors, as well as additional launchers and radars, to its arsenal by 2029.

The War Zone says the U.S. Army is also developing Block 3 variants with non-kinetic payloads and exploring other anti-drone technologies, including directed energy weapons and electronic warfare systems.

This layered approach aims to combat evolving drone threats, as demonstrated by the integration of LIDS into broader air and missile defense networks.

Directed energy weapons (DEW) such as high power microwaves (HPM) and small drone interceptors offer distinct advantages and challenges in combating drone swarms.

DEWs such as HPMs offer the potential for rapid, precise targeting with theoretically unlimited ammunition, making them ideal for neutralizing multiple drones in rapid succession. They cause minimal collateral damage and can combat threats beyond the range of traditional projectiles.

However, they are subject to critical limitations in terms of power requirements and environmental conditions. A significant power supply is required for sustained operation, which may be impractical in remote areas or during high-intensity operations.

Small interceptor drones offer versatility and adaptability, especially in crowded or urban environments. They can maneuver to attack drones at close range, enabling defensive strategies in complex, confined spaces. They can also be deployed quickly and operated autonomously, making them scalable and flexible.

However, their endurance is limited by battery life, while attacking large, fast-moving swarms can quickly deplete interceptor supplies.

In high-intensity scenarios, it can be difficult for interceptors to keep up with large, coordinated swarms, especially against increasingly sophisticated enemy drones, making DEWs such as HPMs potentially more effective against large-volume attacks.

The potentially decisive impact of drone swarms over the Taiwan Strait could be an important impetus for the US and China to develop counter-drone technologies. In an October 2024 Business Insider article, Tom Porter discusses the escalating threat of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan and highlights the crucial role that drone swarms would play in such a conflict.

Porter says China, a leading drone maker, could deploy massive fleets of unmanned aerial and naval drones to overwhelm Taiwan’s defenses and guide precision missile strikes.

He points out that the US and Taiwan, which are currently lagging behind in their drone capabilities, are working to strengthen their defenses through initiatives such as the US’s “Hellscape” plan, which aims to cross the Taiwan Strait with unmanned submarines , surface ships and aerial drones.

Porter emphasizes that Taiwan and the US need to improve their drone production and air defense systems to counter China’s numerical and technological drone superiority. It underscores the urgency for the U.S. and Taiwan to develop autonomous drones and electronic warfare capabilities to neutralize the Chinese drone threat.

While the extensive use of small and expendable drones has become a hallmark of the ongoing Ukraine war and has significant implications for a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan, experts are divided over their strategic implications for warfare.

On the one hand, Dominika Kunertova says in a September 2024 Center for Security Studies report that large and small drones have demonstrated remarkable adaptability in tactical applications and have made high-intensity, low-cost air support widely available.

Kunertova explains how inexpensive, commercially available drones have empowered the Ukrainian armed forces by improving real-time battlefield awareness and enabling innovative, cost-effective attack strategies.

She points out that small drones such as quadcopters and loitering munitions have proven valuable for reconnaissance and precision strikes and are often used as available assets.

She mentions that the use of AI-powered autonomous drones signals a step toward full-scale drone warfare, highlighting the technological proliferation and ethical, operational and political challenges of integrating these systems into military frameworks.

According to Kunertova, this development signals a shift toward algorithmic warfare, with Ukraine serving as a testing ground for future drone-based conflict dynamics.

On the other hand, in a February 2024 report from the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), Stacie Pettyjohn argues that drones in the Ukraine war represent an “evolution” rather than a “revolution” in warfare.

Pettyjohn says that while drones have transformed the battlefield and opened up new tactical innovations and capabilities, they have not yet achieved the transformative change that defines a military revolution. She points out that most drones used in Ukraine were small, manually controlled and did not have significant network capabilities, so their impact was limited to local effects.

She mentions that the Russian and Ukrainian militaries are in rapid cycles of innovation and adaptation, quickly imitating each other’s technological advances and thus limiting one side’s ability to gain a decisive advantage.

Additionally, new drone developments have quickly become mutually accessible due to the widespread availability of commercial and dual-use technologies, she says.

Pettyjohn points out that drones in Ukraine serve primarily as intelligence platforms and artillery reconnaissance, complementing traditional artillery, but are not sufficient as a replacement for mass artillery fire.

She says that as drones become more autonomous and integrated with other weapons, they could transform military doctrines and organizations. However, it maintains that its contribution so far has been an incremental improvement on existing military practices rather than a groundbreaking change.