Chinese State Television Airs Rare Footage of PLA Anti-Drone Laser and Microwave Systems

Oct 5, 2026 at 11:07 AM

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Lanka Leader

Counter-drone units of China’s People’s Liberation Army operate in combat-oriented training. Photo: Screenshot of CCTV News

China’s state television broadcaster CCTV News aired rare footage on Sunday of anti-drone units from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) 75th Group Army conducting combat-oriented training exercises. The footage highlighted laser weapons, integrated missile-gun systems and high-power microwave weapons as an “iron triangle” of counter-drone defense.

China’s drone and counter-drone technologies have become among the world’s most advanced after years of development, Chinese military affairs expert Song Zhongping told the Global Times. He said realistic combat-oriented training would further improve the operational use of these weapons.

According to CCTV, the exercise was conducted from daytime into the night, testing rapid response, firepower, mobile defense and sustained combat readiness. After receiving orders, air-defense units rapidly deployed to designated positions, where radar detected a large swarm of drones approaching at extremely low altitude.

The counter-drone units then activated ground-based laser and microwave systems, using optical and electromagnetic effects to disrupt the formation of the drone swarm. Drones that penetrated the defensive perimeter were engaged by interceptor drones, followed by anti-aircraft gunfire against the remaining targets.

Jia Jingcheng, a PLA serviceman quoted by CCTV, said coordination among different types of air-defense equipment was a key objective of the exercise. The drills tested the troops’ ability to assess complex aerial threats, respond to unexpected situations and combine different attack methods.

After the initial engagement, exercise controllers announced that the troops’ defensive position had been exposed. The units were therefore required to withdraw their equipment, relocate to a new position and rapidly re-establish their air-defense system. Radar units were networked to provide early warning and real-time target tracking, while radar, electro-optical and infrared equipment continued searching for targets during nighttime operations.

Another PLA serviceman, He Qing, said the training also incorporated responses to different aerial threats, battlefield maneuvering and the handling of unexpected situations in a complex Gobi Desert environment.

The Counter-Drone “Iron Triangle”

As explained by CCTV, the three systems perform complementary roles. Laser weapons use high-energy beams to damage drones, while integrated missile-gun systems provide terminal defense against small, slow-moving and low-flying targets.

The missile-gun system shown in the footage featured a six-barrel rotary cannon mounted at the center, together with four short-range air-defense missile launchers. It combines concentrated gunfire with precision missile strikes and can operate independently or as part of a networked air-defense system.

The high-power microwave system was mounted on an eight-wheel-drive vehicle chassis and featured a large panel and detection radar. It emits microwave pulses that can damage the internal electronic components of drones, causing them to malfunction.

While laser weapons generally engage individual targets, microwave weapons can affect multiple drones across a wider area. This makes them potentially useful against attacks involving large drone swarms designed to overwhelm defensive systems through sheer numbers.

Supported by radar, electro-optical sensors and electronic detection equipment, these weapons form part of a layered air-defense system incorporating long-range early warning, electronic suppression and close-range interception.

The Cost Challenge of Low-Cost Drones

One of the main reasons for developing such counter-drone systems is the challenge posed by drones to conventional air-defense systems. Because drones are relatively easy to develop and acquire, even countries and armed groups with limited technological capabilities can deploy them in large numbers, Chinese military expert Zhang Xuefeng said.

Their small size, low flight altitude, and limited radar signatures make drones difficult to detect and destroy. At the same time, their low cost allows them to be deployed in large numbers, meaning that using expensive air-defense missiles against them can create an unfavorable cost exchange for the defending side.

As Zhang noted, a long-range air-defense missile can cost millions of dollars, while a short-range missile can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Using such missiles against inexpensive drones creates a cost imbalance, while limitations in missile production further aggravate the problem.

China’s Counter-Drone Development

In response to these challenges, China has developed a broad range of counter-drone and interception systems, Song Zhongping said. He noted that China has continued to develop both drone technology and counter-drone technologies for many years.

China had already placed considerable emphasis on drone technology before the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the war further deepened its understanding of the role of drones on the modern battlefield, Song said. Accordingly, alongside advances in drone applications, China has also increased its focus on developing counter-drone systems capable of detecting, suppressing, and destroying drones.

Song further said that China’s counter-drone equipment has developed alongside its drone technology and that China would continue testing these systems under realistic combat conditions to further optimize their operational use.