Pakistan Expresses Interest in China-Made LY-1 High-Power Laser System

Defence affairs - Def-Geopolitics

Modern warfare is increasingly shaped by a combination of drone technology, precision-guided missiles and electronic warfare, creating a battlefield where speed, resilience and adaptability determine victory.

In this change, directed energy weapons such as high-powered lasers are emerging as disruptive technologies that have the potential to reshape maritime defense strategies across the Indo-Pacific.

The recent revelation that Pakistan is looking into acquiring the Chinese-made LY-1 high-power laser system marks a major shift in South Asia's military dynamics.

If realized, Islamabad's operation of the LY-1 would open a new era of naval warfare, allowing Pakistan to defend itself against swarming drone attacks, low-altitude cruise missiles and reconnaissance platforms with the speed of light and more cost-effectiveness.

This development also shows the deepening of the strategic relationship between Beijing and Islamabad, a cooperation that is growing in the defense sector even as tensions continue to rise in the Indo-Pacific region.

According to a report by the South China Morning Post , Pakistan's interest in the LY-1 arose during the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing in September 2025, a leading international defense diplomacy platform hosted by China.

The revelation came from Vice Admiral (Retd) Ahmed Saeed, former Chief of the Pakistan Navy who now holds the position of President at the National Maritime Institute (NIMA).

In his statement, he openly stated that Islamabad "very much hopes to see the integration" of Chinese-made directed energy systems like the LY-1 into Pakistan's defense ecosystem.

The statement was more than symbolic — it was a declaration that Pakistan saw high-powered laser technology not just as a future concept, but as an urgent capability to counter the growing threat of drones and missiles.

By making this statement at the forum hosted by Beijing, Islamabad also demonstrated its willingness to continue to strengthen its position as China's closest strategic partner in South Asia.

Social media quickly picked up on this, with defense analysts on the X platform (formerly Twitter) asserting that the LY-1 is capable of providing low-cost, scale-based defense against swarming airstrike tactics in disputed waters.

Defense accounts such as Defense Index and International Defense Analysis have emphasized how the LY-1 has the potential to close a critical gap in Pakistan's naval air defenses at a much lower cost than guided interceptors.