- China describes microwave weapon designed to disable drone swarms beyond 3km
- The Hurricane 3000 uses high-power microwaves to fry drone electronics
- The system is intended as part of China’s layered air defense strategy
China has revealed new details of a high-powered microwave weapon it says can disable swarms of drones at distances beyond those claimed by comparable US systems.
The truck-mounted system, known as the Hurricane 3000, is designed to destroy or shut down drones by frying onboard electronics with focused microwave energy.
Its developer, state-owned defense contractor Norinco, said the weapon has an effective interception range of more than 3km against light and small unmanned aerial vehicles.
An iron triangle
“Its effective interception range exceeds 3 km [1.86 miles] against light and small [unmanned aerial vehicles] and drone swarms, placing it at the forefront of similar systems both domestically and internationally,” said Yu Jianjun, a Norinco expert, in comments reported by South China Morning Post.
Yu said the added range allows the system to move beyond point defense, which protects individual assets at close range, and into broader area denial roles.
He said the Hurricane 3000 can operate on its own or be linked with laser weapons and conventional air defense artillery to form what he described as an “iron triangle” against drones.
“This enables it to perform various air defense missions, including point defense, border and coastal security, and public security operations in cities,” Yu said.
High-powered microwave weapons differ from missiles and guns by emitting large bursts of electromagnetic energy that disable electronics almost instantly.
Unlike jamming systems, often described as soft kill tools, microwave weapons physically damage or shut down components inside the drone.
Norinco said the Hurricane 3000 uses radar to detect and track targets before switching to electro-optical sensors for precise visual lock-on.
When locked on, the system radiates microwave energy through an antenna array to neutralize the target.
Compared to laser-based weapons, which usually engage one target at a time, microwave systems cover a wider area and are considered better suited for swarm attacks.
The company said that such systems have an almost unlimited magazine, a low cost per unit. shots and minimal damage.
The Hurricane 3000 has been shown publicly alongside the smaller Hurricane 2000, which has a reported range of about 2 km.
The US Army’s comparable system, Leonidas, developed by Epirus, is said to have an effective range of about 2 km.
Yu said Norinco is also exploring expanded roles for microwave weapons, including disrupting communications, countering airborne reconnaissance and acting as non-lethal denial systems.
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