An unmanned aircraft was recently taken down by an advanced Chinese weapon through a powerful electromagnetic pulse or EMP.

According to a Mail Online report, this weapon was able to take down the aircraft with the EMP in the first-ever identified field trial of the Beijing technology.

The EMP weapon fired at the said aircraft while on its 4,920-feet flight above sea level before it crashed down.

The experiment, carried out by defense contractor China Electronics Technology Group or CETC, is thought to be the first openly reported field test of China for an electromagnetic pulse weapon in the race to catch up with the United States.

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Electromagnetic Pulse

The electromagnetic pulse weapon, as described in the Interesting Engineering site, is used in the field test run within a narrow band which meant that the microwave beam it generated was developed to have a longer range for firing.

Nevertheless, study investigators discovered that the flight control system of the drone had malfunctioned following the firing of the pulse weapon.

The Electric Information Warfare Technology Chinese journal specified that in this particular experiment, the drone did not immediately drop, although it unexpectedly swerved from side to side.

Wen Ynpeng, a CETC engineer, together with colleagues, noted that a possible explanation of the behavior of the drone is that, there is malfunctioning on the flight control system's part, delivering "an error control command."

How Electromagnetic Pulse Weapons Work

Electromagnetic pulse weapons use missiles equipped with an EMP cannon. This utilizes an extremely powerful microwave oven to yield a concentrated beam of energy.

The energy then causes surges of voltage in electronic equipment, executing them functionless before surge protectors get the chance to react or respond.

The main objective is to destroy the command, communication, and control of an enemy, not to mention computing, intelligence, and surveillance capabilities sans hurting an infrastructure or people.

The research did not provide details in terms of the date and place of the experiment. It did not give distance either, between the EMP weapon and its target.

Early Prototype EMP Weapon Demonstrated

Earlier on, in 2019, the US was reported to have demonstrated a model EMP weapon also called Tactical High Power Microwave Operational Responder or Thor.

Essentially, THOR is described by the Air Force Research Laboratory as a "counter-swarm electromagnetic weapon" designed for the defense of the airbase.

This system offers the non-kinetic defeat of several targets. It's operating from a wall plug and using energy to disable drones.

The said prototype EMP, also described in a Breaking Defense report, was able to bring down 50 drones with a single shot, exhibiting that it is capable of protecting a military base.

The researchers said, the design of the EMP weapons of China are based on the US weapons, although with some cost-efficient technical innovations.

Even though the Chinese experiment only involved a single aircraft, study investigators claimed this advanced Chinese weapon would have a substantial "benefit against swarms of drones."

Electromagnetic pulses can range in size from closely targeted cannons that could disable an aircraft to gigantic atmospheric nuclear explosions that could wipe out the electricity grid of the entire country.

Related information about electromagnetic pulse weapon is shown on CNN's YouTube video below:

 

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