China has shown its high-energy microwave weapon mounted on an 8x8 truck in a promotional video for Zhuhai Airshow 2024.
The weapon, operating on the principle of disrupting the circuits of enemy aircraft, UAVs, and other vehicles with high-energy microwaves, features an emitter as large as the 8x8 truck itself. For longer-range targeting, the vehicle carries a radar likely used on short-range air defence systems.
Compared to the U.S.-made Leonidas HPeM mounted on a Stryker 8x8 AFV, the Chinese counterpart mounted on a much larger vehicle with an equally larger antenna will likely be capable of higher output and ranges. This might be the reason it has a radar to engage at beyond-visual range.
Due to the simultaneous engagement capability in multiple directions and effectiveness against small-sized electronics, HPeMs are regarded among the potential solutions against mass UAV attacks, which are putting conventional defence methods to a touche.
However, HPeMs are still prototype weapons and are costly in terms of per unit price. The sufficient power supply is also a concern, as it is with other directed energy weapons, and it is one of the prime reasons laser weapons are limited in power up to tens of kW range. The power supply would be an even bigger issue for an emitter this large.
