How cheaply can China fend off a drone swarm with its latest microwave weapon?

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Liu ZhenMarch 10, 2026 at 12:00 PM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

China has developed a cost-effective, high-power microwave (HPM) anti-drone system for urban policing, costing only a few yuan per shot. Developed by the state-owned 081 Electronics Group, the system integrates radar, electro-optical, and radio detection with a large antenna mounted on a truck. It can either jam drones ("soft kill") or use high-power microwaves to disable them by overheating their internal components ("hard kill"). This system aims to address the growing public security challenges posed by drones, such as smuggling and delivering contraband to prisons. The system's lower cost and increased accessibility mark an expansion of HPM technology into civilian applications.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

United States 30% Hong Kong 50% Shenzhen 50% CCTV 60% 081 Electronics Group 70% China ×290%

Keywords

anti-drone 100% high-power microwave 90% drone swarm 80% microwave weapon 70% hpm system 60% public security 60% hard kill 50% soft kill 50% smuggling 40%