A Chinese Destroyer Fired a Laser at a US Navy P-8 ASW Aircraft

While the world is preoccupied with the epidemic, there have been some other interesting developments in the world. One of those was a deployment and use of a laser by People's Liberation Army Navy on an American aircraft. The Chinese Navy warship to fire a laser on a US Navy antisub aircraft, a P-8 Poseidon[1,2,3,4]. The warship was a Type 052D destroyer[5]. These are smaller destroyers than the American Burke class[6] (7500 tons vs 9000+ tons) and carry less VLS cells (64 vs 90 or 96).

The US Navy filed a formal protest over the incident. The Chinese denied it happened[7]. No surprise there. The US Navy replied the PLAN should try to play 'laser tag' and China won't like what happens if they do[8]. However, there are a few bits that need pointing out over the incident. This isn't entirely new. There is also something to make us go, 'hmmm.'

First off, this is not the first time lasers have been used by the Chinese against American aircraft. Smaller, blinder lasers have been used in Djibouti against American aircraft[9] there: both China and the US have bases in the African country on the Horn of Africa.

Secondly, the claim is that the Type 052D destroyer fired a "weapons grade" laser agains the P-8. That's something to raise eyebrows about. Weapons grade laser means a particular thing amongst beam jockeys: that means the laser is over 100 kw. Had a 100 kw laser zapped the P-8, it would have had significant damage and probably would have been shot down if the beam stayed on target for more than a second. There is a possibility the beam was intentionally fired at a part of the aircraft that would not have taken the bird down: you need to hit something vital, not just lase the target. However, then it would have been trivial for the US Navy to show a hole burned straight through the aircraft and had irrefutable proof a pewpew was used. Or if the beam spread was too wide for a hole or the dwell time was too low, the scorch marks are VERY distinct.

That said, there is a possible explanation: the US Navy is placing a far less powerful weapon called ODIN[10] another HELIOS[11] on its Burke class destroyers. They can kill small drones. However, they will not have the output of what has been historically called a "weapons grade" laser. It seems probable the Chinese have deployed something similar on some of their ships and this was their way of showing off and harassing an American aircraft. Indeed, a Chinese analyst called for using EM and DEW weapons to harass American ships and aircraft recently[12]. The US Navy will be placing a weapons grade laser on its Freedom class LCS though[13] (a use for the class finally???)

The Chinese have gotten a railgun on a ship for test purposes[14], but now it seems they have deployed a laser weapon of some sort. The arms race is in full swing folks and it doesn't seem to care what color the flag is. It seems to care about who is less bureaucratic and willing to spend the dinero.

Interesting stuff happens when people aren't looking. We live in interesting times indeed.

1. news.usni.org...
2. theaviationist.com...< br /> 3. warisboring.com...
4. www.defencetalk.com...
5. en.wikipedia.org...
6. en.wikipedia.org...
7. www.military.com...
8. www.thedrive.com...
9. www.washingtonpost.com...
10. www.janes.com...
11. news.lockheedmartin.com...
13. news.usni.org...
14. www.abc.net.au...

But we've been having this discussion about Lasers and Rails, since...well since I joined the site, 2012, that's a long time.

What has been researched, approved and deployed?

woah....this happened before the 22nd of March, I'm conjecturing now....give me room to figure here.... he he

a reply to: Arnie123

Lasers have been stuck in development hell for a long time. I am sure there are a few black programs with pewpews deployed but you are talking less than a couple dozen tops. None are on warships. yet.

The eyebrow raising one though is...the Navy wants to put lasers on its subs. They've got the power, but, uh, they have to surface to fire. There are blue/green lasers which can penetrate water, but they still lose power over distance far, far more than the mid IR lasers.

www.forbes.com...

a reply to: anzha

Damn, you'll think they'll fast track considering the posturing.

a reply to: anzha

Elites believe the way out of depression is war.

a reply to: anzha


What about a Snorkel Deployed Laser Weapons Platform ? Boat Still Submerged .

Do we have a picture of these Chicom systems?

Photon torpedoes locked. Not a good time to take a breath.

a reply to: Arnie123

They are fast tracking the lasers. By Pentagon procurement standards. The first lasers will be on the ships over the next year.

The USAF is working on their own as is the Army.

originally posted by: anzha
a reply to: Arnie123

They are fast tracking the lasers. By Pentagon procurement standards. The first lasers will be on the ships over the next year.

The USAF is working on their own as is the Army.

That's actually a relief to hear.

Complacency can get us killed.

a reply to: Arnie123

The problem is by Pentagon standards is way, way too slow. We should have had this stuff a decade ago in wide use.

a reply to: iwanttobelieve70

And yet, we aren't in a depression, and this happened almost a month ago. Long before there was even talk of the possibility of one happening. Incidents of one sort ot another along these lines have been going on for 60 years, and not one war because of them. And in the early days they shot aircraft down for getting near their airspace.

a reply to: anzha
They have to start projecting their strength if they plan to keep all the assets they are buying up worldwide thanks to the pandemic they started

a reply to: TritonTaranis

I'll do some digging. Not that I know of though. Stuff leaks...

originally posted by: anzha
a reply to: Arnie123

They are fast tracking the lasers. By Pentagon procurement standards. The first lasers will be on the ships over the next year.

The USAF is working on their own as is the Army.

uh yeah...tell that to the weapon sat currently orbiting the earth in high orbit with the high powered laser weapon. They already have one.

What happened afterwards?