Posted on 06/23/2025 7:56:09 AM PDT by Red Badger
The laser, developed by China’s National University of Defence Technology, beams enough power to disable drones and cut through several materials from over 0.62 miles (1 km) away.
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Chinese scientists have developed a portable 2-kilowatt (kW) fiber laser weapon that can operate in extreme temperatures. Reportedly capable of functioning in conditions between -58°F (-50°C) and 122°F (50°C), the new laser does not require cooling or heating systems. This breakthrough means the laser can be used anywhere on Earth, from the Arctic to the Sahara, without the need for bulky infrastructure.
If true, the innovation is an impressive feat as most lasers of this power class require massive cooling units (like air conditioners in a shipping container) to avoid overheating or freezing. The device has been developed to cater to defense and industrial sectors.
“We have achieved a technological breakthrough in the performance of wide-temperature operating fibre lasers,” Chen Jinbao, vice-president of the National University of Defence Technology which led the development of the laser, explained in the paper published in the Chinese-language journal Higher Power Laser and Particle Beams in July.
2kW laser works anywhere, anytime
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the laser was achieved through a series of innovative developments. The first is a novel pump laser design that naturally produces less heat, helping reduce the need for large cooling systems.
These pump lasers feed energy into the laser-generating fibre. They also integrate smart light injection (9 forward, 18 backward diodes) to send light in multiple directions.
This helps the system stay balanced and efficient, even when temperatures shift drastically. The new laser tech also ensures thermal isolation by moving heat-sensitive parts out of the core laser cavity, keeping them safe from extreme temperature effects.
Tight fibre cooling to a specific diameter of around 3.15 inches (8 cm) helps suppress unwanted light paths (called parasitic modes) that can waste energy or destabilize the beam.
VIDEO AT LINK................
The last, and arguably most important, is the technology’s ytterbium-doped fibre core. Ytterbium is a rare earth metal abundant in China, and is excellent for lasers because it can handle wide temperature ranges. It is also able to convert energy into laser light very efficiently (71% in this system).
Packaging all this together enabled the team to develop a laser that, at 68°F (20°C), achieves a peak power of 2.47 kW with near-perfect beam quality. That’s enough power to disable drones and cut through many types of materials from over 0.62 miles (1 km) away.
Military and industrial applications
Furthermore, the new fiber laser comes with some distinct advantages over other traditional militarized laser systems, such as HELMA-P (France) and IDDIS (India), which require large trucks to transport cooling systems.
China’s laser is portable enough to fit in a suitcase, making it ideal for use in mobile units, drones, or on the battlefield. It should come as no surprise, then, that this laser will likely find a home within the Chinese military.
Beyond military applications, such a laser could be helpful in industries that require precision cutting, welding, and anti-drone protection in factories. It will also prove useful in remote sites, where climate control isn’t always possible.
Moreover, because China controls most of the global supply of ytterbium, this gives the country a home-field advantage in this tech.
Next, Chen and his team are aiming for higher power outputs, wider operating temperature ranges, and better engineering integration to make the device even more compact and rugged. “We will continue to advance experimental research and engineering development, targeting both higher output power and broader operating temperature ranges,” Chen added.
Sharks optional...................
(Frickin’ sharks)
At least the sharks won’t get blisters now...............
You just have to haul and set-up 5 acres of solar panels along to make it a fully green weapon
Perfect for Moonraker One
Nice assassination tool, it would appear.
You just have to haul and set-up 5 acres of solar panels along to make it a fully green weapon.
Harbor Freight’s will have the complete package on sale for $99 with a coupon eventually.
It might work once, work properly, or not at all. Hard to figure quality control.
I know how much power 2kW is. For example, when my hybrid water heater runs in heat pump mode it consumes only 380W. But when I have family stay over I set it to run in heat strips mode like a normal electric water heater, in which case it runs at 4kW. Thus, I'm aware that this new weapon is purported to use half of that (2kW).
What I don't know is how powerful is that? Is it a beam that slowly fries the electrical components of an enemy if the laser is on it for a long duration?
If true …Famous last words.
Not half.
2kW = 2000W
I bought a grinder at Harbor Freight once about 16 years ago.
I plugged it in. It worked for less than one minute and then died.
I took it back and went and bought a Dewalt.
I keep getting the feeling that our top government scientific labs, like Los Alamos and others are all off on things their staffs merely want to do, and no longer have a U.S. national security/national defense focus, at all. We need a “DOGE” effort on all top government scientific research outfits and federal funded private and academic research.
Wait, never mind. Just saw what you were saying.
It’s 2kW focused on a small area. Like a magnifying glass focusing sunlight to melt through or burn the outer material to burn the inner parts.
I meant half of 4kW is 2kW, not half of 380W is 2kW.
A 2,470 watt laser ain’t much of a laser. You need 11,000 watts just to run a decent plasma cutter to cut mild steel or stainless.
“Top men!”.......................
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