Chinese company NORINCO has publicly demonstrated its new laser air defense system OW5-A50, designed to destroy small and low-flying air targets, such as Shahed drones. This is reported by Defense Blog. A video has appeared on the Internet, where the system is shown on the basis of a heavy wheeled chassis of 8x8 format.
The OW5-A50 is self-powered, allowing it to operate without external power sources. It is part of the wider OW5 series, which includes the A10, A30 and A50 models – the numerical index reflects the laser power in kilowatts. For example, the OW5-A50 has a maximum power of 50 kW.
As part of export promotion, the system has already been demonstrated at defense exhibitions in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt. Placing the development on a mobile platform simplifies its deployment. This makes the system attractive to countries looking for flexible solutions to combat drones. It is not yet known how effective the system is against larger targets, such as helicopters.
The OW5-A50 is positioned as additional airspace protection against slow and low-altitude objects, potentially complementing existing air defense systems.