China is set to unveil what it says is ‘the most powerful laser air defence system in the world’ during a military ceremony on Tuesday
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) parade in Beijing is scheduled for September 3 to commemorate 80 years since the end of the Second World War, The Telegraph reported.
World leaders including Vladimir Putin, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un and Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian are believed to be attending.
But western military leaders will be scrutinising the event from afar for clues to China’s technological prowess.
Rehearsals for the event showed the new laser weapon mounted on an eight-wheeled truck and covered in a green tarpaulin.
US analysts will be looking to deduce whether this is a genuine technological step forward or just ‘bulls**t’, Rob Peters, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told the newspaper.
‘When [China] shows new exquisite technologies… it’s good to remember that we should be a little bit caitious that they’ve got hte best stuff or they know how to use it,’ he added.
Other new bits of military hardware revealed from the rehearsals include four new anti-ship missiles in the so-called ‘eagle attack’ class – which could be used to sink British or American warships.
Chinese weaponry has been increasingly utilised in military theatres around the globe.
Drones made in China have been used to devastating effect by both sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Earlier this year, Pakistan used a Chinese-manufactured J-10 fighter jet and PL-15 missile to down an Indian Air Force plane made by the French.
The incident was believed to be the first time PLA tech was used in the field to take down a Western-made military product.
With the increasing prevalence of drones, air defence systems have become a topic of focus for Western military planners.
However, platforms that are reliant on expensive surface-to-air missiles may soon be superceded by laser systems.
While laser systems are cost-intensive to build, their ‘infinite magazine’ means they can dispatch drones for as little as £10 per shot.
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