https://www.twz.com/news-features/chinese-laser-anti-drone-system-spotted-in-iran

Chinese Laser Anti-Drone System Spotted In Iran

ran looks to have fielded a Chinese laser directed energy weapon intended for ‘dazzling’ drones or even destroying them in certain circumstances, as well as other new counter-drone capabilities. The Iranian government has been central in the global proliferation of uncrewed aerial systems, including kamikaze drones, but also faces many of the same kinds of threats, especially from Israel.

Pictures said to show a laser counter-drone system in the Iranian capital Tehran first emerged online last Friday. The system was reportedly deployed as part of security measures around a rare public sermon by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In his remarks, Khamenei defended Iran’s recent ballistic missile barrage against Israel, lauded Hamas’ terrorist attacks last year that have precipitated a growing regional conflict, and said that Iranian-backed proxies would continue fighting despite a series of targeted assassinations. Readers can find more detailed reporting about the current state of crises across the Middle East here.

Many observers have identified the laser counter-drone system seen in the recently emerged pictures as an example of China’s Silent Hunter, but this appears to be incorrect. Known images of Silent Hunter, and mockups thereof, including examples in service in Saudi Arabia, show it has a turret with a single large circular aperture (likely its beam director) on the right side of a central mast. Silent Hunter’s turret also has smaller circular apertures, which should include electro-optical and/or infrared cameras for target detection, tracking, and engagement on the right and left of the main mast.

While the system said to have deployed last week in Tehran has a similar overall design, it has a single large aperture on the left side. In addition, there is an aperture with a more squared-off shape on the right side. The central mast has a different design, as well. A similar, if not identical arrangement is visible in Chinese marketing literature for another counter-drone laser weapon called the Shen Nung (also transliterated Shennong). Containerized and 4×4 Dongfeng Mengshi light tactical truck-mounted versions of the Shen Nung – the Shen Nung 5000 and 3000, respectively – have at least been pitched in the past. The pictures reportedly taken in Tehran last week show the system behind a blue tarp screen, but what is visible could point to a containerized variant.

It’s worth noting here that both Silent Hunter and the Shen Nung feature small radars on top of their respective turrets to help detect and track targets, something that is also visible on the system in the recently emerged pictures.

A machine translation of Chinese-language specifications for the Shen Nung, seen below, says that it is capable of detecting drones up to 3.1 miles (five kilometers) away using its radar. The system’s laser, stated to be in the 10 to 20-kilowatt power range, is said to be capable of launching non-destructive blinding or ‘dazzling’ attacks out to a range of nearly 2 miles (three kilometers) and of actually destroying certain targets that get within a mile (one and a half kilometers). The translation of the specification sheet also indicates that the laser can run for up to 200 seconds (just over three minutes) at a time, and needs “less than” five minutes to charge up for an initial engagement and between ‘shots.’ This highlights some of the core pros and cons of laser directed energy weapons, which offer benefits especially when it comes to functionally unlimited ‘magazine depth,’ but also can only engage one target at once and can require some amount of time to recharge or to cool between firings.

It’s important to make clear here that even dazzling can be very effective against drones, including armed types, by blinding seekers and other optics, and thus disrupting their ability to find targets and prosecute attacks. At the same time, this is less useful against drones with more automated and/or multi-mode targeting capabilities. The War Zone recently explored the counter-drone capabilities that laser dazzlers do offer in detail in the context of options for defending tanks and other armored vehicles from uncrewed aerial threats in a feature you can find here.

There is the possibility that the laser counter-drone system said to have been deployed last Friday in Tehran is something else, such as a locally-produced clone/derivative of a Chinese type or an ostensibly domestically-developed design. Many laser directed energy weapons in service and/or development globally, including ones produced in the United States, have broadly similar turret designs. However, this seems very unlikely given the similarities between what is seen in the images and of the Shen Nung.

From what can be seen in on the recently emerged images, the laser system also looks to have been one of a number of counter-drone capabilities emplaced together. A large planar array system in particular looks very much like what we have seen for high power microwave system concepts, with their advantage being their wide beams can rapidly disrupt or destroy more drones faster than that of a laser. What may have been an electronic warfare jammer or remotely operated gun system is also visible. Additional radars and other sensors are also a possibility. Layering different systems together would help provide a broader breadth of coverage against different tiers of uncrewed aerial systems.

Regardless, it makes sense that Iran’s security services would deploy various kinds of counter-drone and other defensive measures around Khamenei’s appearance last week. Help in acquiring these capabilities and doing so rapidly, especially to help protect the Supreme Leader, would also be a very likely top ask from the Iranian government to its Chinese counterparts, with which it has a close relationship.

As the Iranian Supreme Leader highlighted himself, Israel has shown a willingness and ability to kill hostile leadership figures, as well as other senior officials and even more rank-and-file terrorists, using a wide variety of highly targeted means in the past. This includes the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, then head of Hamas, in a guest house in Tehran, reportedly using a planted bomb, back in July, as you can read more about here. Israel has also long been a prolific user of various tiers of armed uncrewed aerial systems, including kamikaze types and ones capable of dropping small munitions, in targeted strikes.

The War Zone has been sounding the alarm for years now about the broad threats posed by weaponized drones, even small commercial-derived types, including as potential tools for the assassination of public figures. This reality has now been fully thrust into the mainstream consciousness thanks to the war in Ukraine. In particular, highly maneuverable first-person view (FPV) kamikaze drones, which can be launched very close to their intended target or from miles away, and are very hard to defend against, are now readily accessible. Uncrewed aerial threats now look to be poised to rise to a new level with the proliferation of artificial intelligence-driven technologies, as you can read about more in this feature.

This, in turn, has led to a new explosion of interest in counter-drone systems, including across the U.S. military, which has been working to develop and field various tiers of kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities. This includes laser and microwave directed energy weapons, as well as electronic warfare jammers, some of which have been deployed operationally in limited numbers in recent years. American officials have highlighted difficulties with laser systems specifically given their sensitivity to environmental factors, significant power requirements, thermal handling limitations, and other issues. There has also been a notable lag in the fielding of anti-drone capabilities by the U.S. armed forces and elsewhere within the U.S. government, despite the very real threats at play. This is now further underscored by Iran’s apparent acquisition and deployment of a Chinese laser directed energy counter-drone system.

The full extent of Tehran’s current laser anti-drone capabilities are still unclear, but the emergence of a Shen Nung there makes good sense given the potential drone threats the country faces at a very tumultous time. It is also a sign of things to come and not just in Iran.