At the Defence Information Equipment & Technology Exhibition in Beijing in June 2026, Chinese defense supplier Harbin Xinguang Optic-Electronics Technology unveiled two man-portable directed-energy weapons, the Lijian II and Lijian III (James, 2026; Wei, 2026). The systems are designed to counter small, low, and slow unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at close range.
System Specifications and Capabilities
The Lijian series (meaning “sharp swords”) are high-energy laser weapons that use artificial intelligence for target identification and engagement, cued by external sensors such as radar (James, 2026; Wei, 2026).
The following table summarizes the key specifications of the Lijian portable systems as reported by the manufacturer at the exhibition:
| System | Weight | Power Draw | Effective Range | Engagement Time | Cooldown Time | Unit Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lijian II | 30 kg (66 lbs) | ~2 kW | ~500 m (1,640 ft) | N/A | N/A | ~2M yuan (~US$295K) |
| Lijian III | 25 kg (55 lbs) | ~2 kW | ~500 m (1,640 ft) | ~4 seconds | <5 seconds | ~2M yuan (~US$295K) |
| Lijian-10G (fixed) | N/A (liquid-cooled) | ~10 kW | ~1,200 m (3,900 ft) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Sources: (James, 2026; Wei, 2026; McFadden, 2026)
Both portable units consist of three main components: a laser emitter (approximately 15 kg), an air cooler (approximately 10 kg), and a handheld control terminal, allowing them to be carried by one or two soldiers (James, 2026; Wei, 2026). Both models feature a pitch angle exceeding 90 degrees (James, 2026). The manufacturer claims the Lijian III can burn through a drone in four seconds and requires less than five seconds to cool before firing again (James, 2026; McFadden, 2026).
A company representative identified as Zhao stated that the core technology reached maturity in 2023, citing the war in Ukraine as reshaping thinking around drone warfare (James, 2026). According to Harbin Xinguang, the Lijian series has already been deployed at certain Chinese facilities, including military airfields, and the company is seeking additional orders through the exhibition (James, 2026; Wei, 2026).
All specifications originate from the manufacturer’s exhibition materials and a company representative and have not been independently verified (James, 2026).
Exhibition Context
The Defence Information Equipment & Technology Exhibition 2026 (also known as CNTE 2026) is a three-day event that opened June 16, 2026, at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing (Expolume, 2026). The expo covers 45,000 square meters and features more than 1,000 exhibitors, including displays of drone and counter-drone systems (Expolume, 2026; Wei, 2026).
Comparative Directed-Energy Weapon Systems
The Lijian portable models draw approximately 2 kW, placing them below the 3 kW-class NI-L3K counter-drone laser that Chinese company Novasky displayed at DSA 2026 in Malaysia in April 2026 (James, 2026; Brahy, 2026). The NI-L3K is a vehicle-mounted system capable of tracking targets at 1.4 km with 3 arcsecond accuracy and neutralizing a drone in approximately 10 seconds, with an operational endurance of approximately 30 minutes (Brahy, 2026).
In December 2025, AeroVironment delivered two 20 kW-class LOCUST Laser Weapon Systems mounted on Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) to the U.S. Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office as part of the Army Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) second increment (AeroVironment, 2025; James, 2026a). Israel’s Defense Ministry announced the operational nationwide deployment of the 100 kW Iron Beam laser defense system on December 28, 2025, making it the first high-power laser to enter operational service (Bob, 2025; James, 2025). The Iron Beam fires a 100 kW beam and is capable of intercepting drones, rockets, missiles, and mortars (Bob, 2025).
The following table compares key directed-energy systems across countries:
| System | Country | Power | Platform | Effective Range | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lijian III | China | ~2 kW | Man-portable (backpack) | ~500 m | Exhibited June 2026; deployed at some Chinese facilities |
| NI-L3K | China | ~3 kW | Vehicle-mounted (pickup) | ~1.4 km | Exhibited DSA 2026, Malaysia |
| LOCUST (AMP-HEL Increment 2) | USA | 20 kW | Oshkosh JLTV | N/A | Delivered to U.S. Army Dec. 2025 |
| Iron Beam | Israel | 100 kW | Fixed/mobile | ~10 km | Operationally deployed Dec. 2025 |
Sources: (AeroVironment, 2025; Bob, 2025; Brahy, 2026; James, 2026b)
Cost Economics of Laser Engagements
Laser engagements cost approximately $1 to $10 per shot in electricity, compared to shoulder-fired munitions that can cost tens of thousands of dollars per round, and missile interceptors that can cost hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars (Brahy, 2026; Schaer, 2026; James, 2026b).
Laser Weapon Limitations
Laser beams operate on line-of-sight only and are susceptible to degradation from weather conditions including rain, fog, humidity, dust, smoke, and sand (McFadden, 2026; Schaer, 2026). Dust and humidity can cause thermal blooming, a phenomenon in which the laser heats the surrounding medium and the beam is distorted, reducing effective range (Brahy, 2026; Schaer, 2026). Effective engagement requires maintaining a laser beam on a target for a sustained dwell time, which can be difficult against fast-moving or maneuvering targets (McFadden, 2026; Schaer, 2026).
China’s Laser Industrial Base
China’s industrial laser sector accounts for more than 35% of global fiber laser production, and the country controls between 85% and 90% of global rare earth processing capacity, including neodymium and ytterbium used in laser gain media (Brahy, 2026). Chinese civil-military integration policies enable direct transfer of commercial laser technologies to military programs, and production cost advantages are estimated at 30% to 40% compared to Western equivalents due to domestic supply chains and economies of scale (Brahy, 2026).
AI generated
References
AeroVironment. (2025, December 18). AV delivers JLTV-mounted LOCUST laser weapon systems to U.S. Army. AV Delivers JLTV-Mounted LOCUST Laser Weapon Systems to U.S. Army - AeroVironment
Bob, Y. J. (2025, December 28). Defense Ministry rolls out Iron Beam laser air defense system across Israel. The Jerusalem Post. Israel deploys Iron Beam laser defense system nationwide | The Jerusalem Post
Brahy, J. (2026, April 22). China expands mobile laser weapon development with NI-L3K counter-drone system in Malaysia. Army Recognition. https://armyrecognition.com/archives/archives-defense-exhibitions/2026-archives-news-defense-exhibitions/dsa-2026/china-expands-mobile-laser-weapon-development-with-ni-l3k-counter-drone-system-in-malaysia
Expolume. (2026). Beijing Defense Information Equipment and Technology Expo 2026. Beijing Defense Information Equipment and Technology Expo 2026 - Expolume
James, L. (2025, December 30). 100,000-Watt Iron Beam laser becomes world’s first drone defense zapper to be operationally deployed. Tom’s Hardware. 100,000-Watt Iron Beam laser becomes world’s first drone defense zapper to be operationally deployed — it can also shoot down rockets, mortars, and other aerial threats | Tom's Hardware
James, L. (2026a, January 4). US Army tests 20,000W vehicle-mounted laser systems for drone defense. Tom’s Hardware. US Army tests 20,000W vehicle-mounted laser systems for drone defense — updated LOCUST device is now more lethal against drones | Tom's Hardware
James, L. (2026b, June 20). China unveils man-portable anti-drone laser that can burn through a drone 1,600 feet away in four seconds. Tom’s Hardware. China unveils man-portable anti-drone laser that can burn through a drone 1,600 feet away in four seconds — backpack-sized 2-kilowatt weapon uses AI for targeting, weighs 55 pounds, and can be carried by a single soldier | Tom's Hardware
McFadden, C. (2026, June 20). Chinese firm debuts man-portable laser weapon that zaps drones, fits in a backpack. Interesting Engineering. Chinese firm's man-portable laser weapon zaps drones, fits in backpack
Schaer, C. (2026, May 16). China, US, Israel compete in fast-growing laser weapons race. DW. China, US, Israel compete in fast-growing laser weapons race
Wei, A. (2026, June 19). China showcases portable laser weapons for a single soldier to shoot down drones. South China Morning Post. China showcases portable laser weapons for a single soldier to shoot down drones | South China Morning Post