China has unveiled a new weapons defense system: a laser cannon that can shoot down small drones within a 1.2-mile radius, according to China's state-controlled news agency Xinhua.
Designers at the government-run China Academy of Engineering Physics claim the
laser cannnon can down a drone within five seconds of detection, according to CNN Money.
In a Sunday statement, CAEP described its device as "highly accurate laser gun that can disable light-weight drones and UFOs breaching its airspace."
The Chinese government didn't release photos, though CNN Money reported that the cannon was intended to sit on the ground or be mounted on a vehicle. The system was built to destroy unmanned, small-scale drones at speeds up to 112 mph below 1,600 feet.
"Intercepting such drones is usually the work of snipers and helicopters, but their success rate is not as high and mistakes with accuracy can result in unwanted damage," Yi Jinsong, a manager with China Jiuyuan Hi-Tech Equipment Corp.,
a group under the academy leading the project, told Xinhua.
The Chinese defense agency, in a statement to Xinhua, said the laser cannon will be used for security at events in highly populated areas.
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