Silent Hunter (laser weapon)

The Silent Hunter is an anti-drone laser weapon developed in China by Poly Technologies. It is an improved version of the 30-kilowatt Low-Altitude Laser Defending System (LASS) and is available in both fixed and mobile versions.

Specifications

The Silent Hunter uses an electrically powered fiber optic laser and according to one Poly official, has a maximum power that is between 30 and 100 kilowatts and a maximum range of four kilometers.[1] Although it is primarily designed to search, track, and destroy low-flying drones, it is powerful enough to "ablate" or penetrate five 2 millimeter steel plates at a range of 800 meters or a single 5 millimeter steel plate at 1000 meters. [1]The sheer bulk of the Silent Hunter prevents its use on an aerial platform.[2]

Operational history

The Silent Hunter has been used by Saudi Arabia to guard against Houthi drones and missiles.[3] So far, eight systems have been spotted and are used in conjunction with truck mounted 3D TWA radar optimized for detecting low flying drones.[4]

In November 2022, a variant of Silent Hunter in service with the Air Force was unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow. It can operate alone or be used as a part of a network.[5]

International exhibition

The Silent Hunter was first unveiled at the 2017 IDEX show in Abu Dhabi.[6] It was again showcased at the International Exhibition of Weapons Systems and Military Equipment (KADEX) in Kazakhstan in 2018.[7] A variant of Silent Hunter in service with the Air Force debutted at Zhuhai Airshow 2022.[5]

Operators
 China
 Saudi Arabia

See also
  • ZKZM-500, a handheld laser weapon designed by the PRC.

References
  1. Richard D. Fisher, Jr. (February 23, 2017). "China's Progress with Directed Energy Weapons" (PDF). p. 8. A Poly video showed this laser could 'ablate' or penetrate five 2 millimeter steel plates at a range of 800 meters, and an official stated it could penetrate 5 millimeters of steel at 1,000 meters.
  2. Richard D. Fisher, Jr. (February 23, 2017). "China's Progress with Directed Energy Weapons" (PDF). p. 8. Poly officials stated they are working on more powerful versions, but that its size prevented an airborne version of Silent Hunter.
  3. Yuri Lyamin "Silent Hunter в Саудовской Аравии" Oct. 23rd, 2022 https://imp-navigator.livejournal%5B%5D (dot) com/1091695.html
  4. @CSBiggers (November 2, 2022). "My latest @JanesINTEL report is now live for subscribers looking at the nine Chinese TWA radar sites identified in KSA, 8 of which feature the Silent Hunter laser AD system" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  5. "China's New Laser Defense System Unveiled at Airshow China 2022; Limitations, Efficiency, and More". TechTimes. November 13, 2022.
  6. "Drones, lasers, and tanks: China shows off its latest weapons". Popular Science. June 1, 2018.
  7. "'SILENT HUNTER' - Chinese laser gun DOWNS drone from 300 metres away". Express. June 1, 2018.
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