China showcases full spectrum of drone technology in ‘border control’ exercise

China has staged a warfare demonstration using a full spectrum of uncrewed systems, underscoring its role as a leading global drone supplier, according to a state media report on Monday.

The drone and counter-drone exercise at a testing ground in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region simulated the “seizure and control of critical border locations”, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

It said numerous domestically made systems were deployed in live operations across six phases of the futuristic battlefield scenario, covering reconnaissance, AI planning, infiltration, aerial attack, elimination and anti-access.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on display included intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance or ISR drones, long- and short-range loitering munitions, uncrewed helicopters, as well as tactical first-person view or FPV devices.

Ground equipment, from smart command and control systems to anti-drone defences, was also on show at Monday’s exercise.

An OW-5 anti-drone laser weapon carried out a live-fire demonstration in a rare public display. Its “high-energy beam barely visible to bare eyes” shot down a target drone “a few kilometres away”, the CCTV report said.

The OW5 series was first unveiled at the Zhuhai air show in 2021 as a static exhibit, and the latest presentation showcased the upgraded OW5-A50 with a 50-kilowatt power output. The system integrates the command-and-control station, radar and electro-optical sensors, power module and laser gun into one 8×8 Dongfeng heavy-chassis truck. It can perform key point air defence either with a stand-alone vehicle or as part of an integrated network protection system.

South China Morning Post