China unveils powerful microwave weapon to counter US tech
A new energy weapon has appeared in Beijing's arsenal. High-power microwave (HPM) technology, which uses microwaves, can have a profound effect on electronics, such as those in drones, disrupting their operation without causing visible damage.
The Chinese development is based on Stirling engines, which facilitate the efficient conversion of thermal energy into mechanical energy, potentially generating electromagnetic pulses similar to those associated with atomic bomb explosions. According to Chinese sources, the efficiency of this solution reaches 96.6 percent.
The weapon was developed by a team from the National University of Defense Technology in Changsha and is capable of attacking not only drones but also military aircraft and satellites.
HPM also enables precise energy focusing and the regulation of the distance it affects. The pulse it emits is characteristic of those associated with nuclear explosions.
Energy weapon as a means to counter US superiority
According to China, the work on microwave weapons is part of a broader strategy aimed at disrupting American dominance in the Pacific. One approach to achieving this goal could be an attempt to disable satellite communications.
With this aim in mind, the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics is developing a space fleet of 99 satellites, intended to help accurately determine the position of Starlink satellites.
The Chinese assert that they already have solutions which will enable them to neutralise up to 1,200 satellites in the Starlink constellation within 12 hours. Research into whale communication has proved beneficial in developing this.
Information about the new Chinese weapon also corroborates the initial, imprecise reports that emerged in global media in 2022. Asia Times reported on the work, indicating that it is a response to Starlink's activities, which involve the consistent expansion of its constellation of thousands of satellites.
