Oman Acquires Chinese Laser Weapons to Bolster Anti-Drone Defences

Defence affairs - military watch 

The Sultan’s Armed Forces, the official name of the armed forces of Oman, have procured laser weapons as part of the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation SkyShield system, with photos published by Al Badr Transport LLC showing several mobile laser systems in the country in desert camouflage. 

The SkyShield systems combines radar and optical sensors for detection and tracking with both electronic warfare and laser-based weapons, and is built around a layered defence concept integrating both “soft kill” and “hard kill” options within a single battery. Each battery is comprised of four vehicles, including one carrying a 3D TWA radar, and one with an AESA counter-drone radar, the three side-facing panels of which provide full 360-degree coverage without the need for mechanical rotation. Further vehicles house JN1101 counter-drone jamming platforms. 

The fourth vehicle is part of the Silent Hunter directed-energy weapon, which was developed for direct hard-kill destruction of drones using targeting data from the radar vehicle. The Silent Hunter has been tested under high intensity combat conditions, with footage released by Russian media outlets in May confirming the laser’s deployment by the OSpN Kochevnik special operations group, and its use to neutralise hostile drones. The Silent Hunter is a turret-mounted 30 kW laser weapon with optical targeting sensors, and has a targeting range of 1.5 kilometres. It can be also used to blind enemy sensor up to 3 kilometres away as a secondary function. China’s global lead in laser weapons systems development has allowed it to penetrate new markets, with the SkyShield having previously been procured by Saudi Arabia, which has long faced political pressure to procure Western armaments, while Russia has been willing to procure the Silent Hunter despite a longstanding reluctance to import armaments. 

Laser weapons systems are considered optimal for countering threats from low speed drones, with the increasingly central role that such aircraft are playing in the Ukrainian theatre having stimulated interest across much of the world in their use for air defence. Chinese defence firms have continued to unveil new types of laser air defence systems, some of which may be integrated into the SkyShield system. The North Industries Group Corporation (NORINCO), for example, in July unveiled the new OW5-A50 laser air defence system, which was designed to counter drones and other low-flying targets such as helicopters and mortar rounds.