A revolutionary weapon could change the rules of the military game. Using converging microwaves, China claims to have designed a system capable of neutralizing targets with extreme precision.
Well, don't panic, we are not going to be disintegrated by Xi Jinping. Not yet… If you have already seen (if you are a normally constituted person) Star Warsthe Death Star probably left a mark on you, if not traumatized. For the uninitiated, it is a gigantic space station the shape and size of a moon, home to the infamous Darth Sidious, the Emperor, and his half-robot, half-asthmatic apprentice, Dark Vader. A space station which is also the most formidable weapon in the universe: capable of destroying entire planets remotely using a super laser. So yes, China is still light years away from designing such a weapon. Except that. Chinese scientists claim to have cross a chapter in the creation of a weapon based on similar principles. This technology, based on electromagnetic microwavesis capable of concentrating several beams into a powerful ray of energy, capable of neutralizing satellites or electronic systems. Obviously less spectacular than the weapon of the Galactic Empire, this technological innovation could have major strategic applications. According to Live Science, “The weapon system consists of multiple microwave emitting vehicles deployed at different sites, firing synchronized beams with pinpoint precision to hit a single target.” Which is pretty terrifying…
An unprecedented technological feat
To achieve this result, Chinese researchers had to overcome significant technical challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is beam synchronization. Each transmitter must fire its beam with measured precision in picosecondseither a trillionth of a second. This level of synchronization exceeds even the capabilities of atomic clocks, such as those used in GPS satellites. Scientists have managed to get around this difficulty thanks to optical fibers which connect the different vehicles, guaranteeing exceptionally precise synchronization. “Once the vehicles are positioned, the beams must synchronize with an accuracy of 170 picoseconds”specifies South China Morning Post. Another major challenge concerns the positioning of transmitting vehicles. They must be placed with millimeter precision so that the beams converge correctly. For this, China uses its navigation system Beidouassisted by laser range finders to achieve the required accuracy. Although the exact details remain secret, last year Chinese scientists reportedly managed to achieve time synchronization accuracy of just 10 trillionths of a second over a distance of 1,800 km. Impressive, or creepy, we'll let you decide.
Touching a part hundreds of meters away, yes it’s possible…
In fact, it's not the very first directed energy weapon (AED). Besides China, other powers are also trying to develop them. For example, the British laser weapon soberly named “Dragonfire” is powerful enough to shoot a drone out of the air and precise enough to touch a £1 coin from 800 meters away. Instead of burning their targets, microwave weapons use intense bursts of electromagnetic radiation to disrupt electrical circuits. Tests of microwave weapons have already shown that they can be effective against small targets like drones. THE Tactical High-Power Operational Responder (THOR)developed by the US Air Force Research Laboratory in the United States, uses large bursts of energy to eliminate entire swarms of drones. If it becomes fully operational, this weapon could upset the balance of power in modern conflicts. Unlike conventional weapons, they do not use explosive munitions, but beams of concentrated energy. They are therefore more economical and cause less collateral damage. Not to mention environmental damage which would be much lower. But hey, not sure that this aspect is at the forefront in the order of Chinese priorities…
In theory, this technology could be used to jam enemy GPS signals, neutralize satellites or disable critical communications systems. At least that's what Chinese researchers say about their system which could “remove signals from US GPS or other satellites”reports The Independent. Despite its potential, this weapon remains for the moment confined to test environments. Microwaves, although powerful, lose their effectiveness over long distances, particularly due to dispersion caused by humidity or dust in the atmosphere. Note also that nothing allows us to affirm or deny Chinese claims, for the moment. In any case, increasing the power to overcome this problem represents a major logistical challengeparticularly in terms of energy supply. In addition, the effectiveness of the weapon strongly depends environmental conditions. The real world is proving to be much more chaotic, which will pose enormous challenges to any technology that relies on such a degree of precision. And happy
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