China unleashes laser defenses over capital
During a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the end of World War II, China’s state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) reported the successful deployment of its laser-based counter-drone systems in central Beijing.
The company said in a statement that its Guangjian-series directed-energy systems—including the Guangjian-11E and Guangjian-21A—were positioned across key locations such as Qianmen, Wangfujing, and Beijing Capital International Airport. The systems were tasked with providing layered low-altitude security throughout the parade and were credited with multiple precise detections of potential aerial targets.
According to the AVIC, five types of laser security systems were involved in the operation, each developed in-house and operated in coordination with government departments responsible for parade security.
The equipment “performed without error,” the statement said, and played a key role in ensuring the safety of the event, which featured China’s top leadership and military forces.
Chinese state media emphasized that the Guangjian series was developed to counter the increasing threat posed by small drones in urban environments. These systems use high-energy laser beams to disable or destroy unauthorized unmanned aerial vehicles operating at low altitude, especially during sensitive public events.
The laser security teams were guided by a strict mandate to meet what the Manufacturing Institute described as a “zero-mistake, zero-error” operational requirement. The deployment was viewed internally as a stress test for the company’s next-generation defense capabilities and a demonstration of reliability under real-world conditions.
The use of multiple types of directed-energy weapons across an urban environment indicates a growing confidence in the systems’ effectiveness and reliability.
“With the highest standards and absolute focus, our team stood guard over the country’s critical technology on parade,” the company said.
