Recently, with the widespread use of low-cost, low-altitude, and slow-speed weapons such as drones and loitering munitions, traditional air defense missile systems have faced a dilemma of cost-benefit imbalance when intercepting these targets. On July 21, 2025, CCTV's military channel reported on a dynamic demonstration of an unmanned and anti-unmanned combat system conducted by China North Industries Group in a test field deep in the desert, showcasing several advanced equipment, including the OW5-A50 laser air defense system. The appearance of these equipment, especially the outstanding performance of the OW5-A50 laser air defense system, marks that China's laser weapons have the potential to be mass-produced and change the rules of war in terms of price, mobility deployment capability, power output, and the range of counter-targets.
Traditional air defense missile systems, such as man-portable air defense missiles or field air defense missiles, face extremely low cost-effectiveness when dealing with small drones or loitering munitions. The cost of a single air defense missile is often far higher than the cost of the target drone, and long-term use leads to unsustainable resource consumption. The OW5-A50 laser air defense system, with its low-cost interception characteristics, has completely revolutionized this situation. It is speculated that the cost per interception of the OW5-A50 is extremely low, only involving electricity consumption and equipment maintenance costs, far below the procurement and launch costs of traditional missiles. This economy allows laser weapons to cope with large-scale drone swarm attacks without causing financial "bankruptcy" for the military.
In addition, the development and production costs of the OW5-A50 are relatively controllable. Compared to the high R&D costs of laser weapons in Western countries, China North Industries Company relies on a mature industrial system and independent technology to significantly reduce the manufacturing costs of the system. This provides an economic basis for the mass deployment of the OW5-A50 and also gives it a competitive advantage in the international military trade market. For example, the Chinese "Silent Hunter" laser system introduced by Saudi Arabia has successfully intercepted 13 drones from the Houthi rebels, proving the practical value and market potential of Chinese laser weapons.
The OW5-A50 laser air defense system is mounted on an 8×8 heavy truck chassis, featuring excellent off-road mobility and enabling rapid emergency deployment. This high mobility makes it suitable for various operational scenarios, including air defense at forward positions and protection against terrorist attacks on important military targets. The system is equipped with a vehicle-mounted battery pack that generates power independently through the engine, eliminating the need for external power supply, further enhancing its survival capabilities and sustained combat capabilities in the wilderness.
Compared to traditional fixed air defense systems, the mobility of the OW5-A50 enables it to quickly adapt to changing battlefield conditions and effectively respond to dynamic threats from low-altitude, slow-speed targets. In the Ukraine conflict, the widespread use of FPV drones and loitering munitions exposed the limitations of traditional air defense systems, while the rapid deployment capability of the OW5-A50 enables it to effectively fill this defensive gap and provide reliable protection for ground forces.
The OW5-A50 laser air defense system has an output power of 50 kilowatts, making it the most powerful model in the OW5 series. Its high-energy laser beam can effectively intercept drones, loitering munitions, helicopters, even rockets and mortar shells within several kilometers. Video demonstrations show that the OW5-A50 can quickly lock onto targets and fire high-energy laser beams, precisely destroying flying drones, demonstrating its rapid response and multi-target handling capabilities.
The 50-kilowatt power gives the OW5-A50 a "versatile" role on the battlefield. Compared to earlier models such as the OW5-A10 and OW5-A30, the significant increase in power of the OW5-A50 has enhanced its ability to counter complex targets. For example, it not only can deal with low-cost drone threats, but also can intercept more threatening rockets and mortar shells, thereby providing comprehensive air defense protection for ground forces.
In modern warfare, low-altitude, slow-speed, and low-cost aerial vehicles (such as suicide drones and loitering munitions) have become one of the main threats to ground forces. These targets, due to their low cost and numerical advantage, are easily able to form a "saturation attack" on traditional air defense systems. The OW5-A50, through precise strikes of high-energy lasers, can effectively deal with such threats with high reliability and efficiency. Its detection equipment, including white light / low light / infrared / rectangular planar active phased array radar, can rapidly detect and lock onto targets, ensuring the system remains efficient in complex battlefield environments.
Additionally, the interception range of the OW5-A50 covers several kilometers, allowing it to effectively deal with various targets, including drones, loitering munitions, helicopters, and rockets. This wide range of capabilities makes it a core equipment in the field air defense system, greatly enhancing the survival and operational effectiveness of the Chinese army in modern warfare.
In the future, with the further development of laser technology and the expansion of mass deployment, the asymmetric advantages of the Chinese military on the modern battlefield will become more pronounced, and the OW5-A50 will undoubtedly become a key pillar of this transformation.
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7533146126032126505/
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