China Unveils Backpack-Sized Laser Weapons for Drone Defense at Beijing Expo

The Lijian series uses high-energy laser beams to thermally destroy drone targets. A concentrated beam is aimed and fired at an aerial drone, rapidly heating and burning through its structure — carbonizing or melting it mid-flight . The systems are reportedly AI-assisted for acquisition and tracking, helping a single operator lock onto small, fast-moving UAVs . After each shot, the machine requires less than 5 seconds to cool down before firing again .

Specifications

Reporting from the expo identifies these approximate parameters :

Note: A larger, stationary variant of the Lijian series has a claimed range up to 1,200 meters, but the portable backpack models operate at the shorter end of that spectrum .

Cost

According to reporting by the South China Morning Post and Tom's Hardware, each unit of the Lijian II and Lijian III costs about 2 million yuan (US$295,000) . This price includes the laser emitter, control unit, and backpack battery assembly. No official procurement figures or production contracts were announced at the expo .

For context, earlier larger Chinese laser systems like the vehicle-mounted LW-30 (a 30 kW fiber laser) are estimated in the range of tens of thousands of dollars per unit, though exact pricing is not public . The backpack versions represent a significant step in miniaturization at a substantially higher unit cost.

What the Debut Signifies

• Man-portability is a major milestone. Until now, directed-energy counter-drone weapons were typically vehicle-mounted or fixed-site systems (e.g., China's own LW-30 or the US Navy's HELIOS). Shrinking a militarily useful laser into a backpack that one soldier can carry and operate represents a significant miniaturization achievement .
• Answering the drone swarm threat at the tactical edge. The systems are designed for dismounted infantry who increasingly face small reconnaissance and FPV drones. A backpack laser offers an unlimited "magazine" (no physical ammunition) at very low per-shot cost, unlike interceptors or gun-based countermeasures .
• Global directed-energy race is intensifying. The US, UK, Israel, and others are all pursuing portable directed-energy weapons, but none has publicly demonstrated a backpack-sized operational system of this nature. China's debut of two production-intent variants at a trade expo signals that the competition to field practical, man-portable laser C-UAS weapons has entered a new, more mature phase . The Lijian series suggests Chinese industry is moving toward production-ready designs faster than some analysts expected .