China’s LY-1 Naval Laser Claims 180–250kW Outmuscling US HELIOS.

China’s Ordnance Industry Science Technology journal says the LY-1 (Liaoyuan-1) directed-energy weapon, publicly shown at the Sept. 3 Beijing parade, is designed as a terminal ship-defense layer against missiles and drones. The magazine cites 180–250 kW output and a larger aperture than U.S. systems, but offers few test details, so real-world effectiveness, beam control, and cooling at sea remain unproven.

China’s Ordnance Industry Science Technology journal (late Sept. 2025) confirmed that the LY-1 laser, officially displayed during China’s Sept. 3 military parade in Beijing, is intended for close-in interception of missiles and UAVs as the last layer of a tiered ship-defense architecture. The article cites 180–250 kW power and a larger beam director aperture than recent U.S. systems, and notes potential land and naval integrations, including sightings linked to a Type 071 platform. It matters because, if validated at sea, LY-1 could lower per-shot costs versus missiles and conserve VLS capacity against drone swarms, though public data lacks rigorous test protocols, environmental performance, and cooling metrics.
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The LY-1 appears as an enclosed turret with a large circular aperture for the beam director, flanked by several smaller openings suggesting electro-optical and infrared sensors for target acquisition and tracking (Picture source: CCTV)

From the hardware seen at the September 3 parade, the layout is informative. The LY-1 appears as an enclosed turret with a large circular aperture for the beam director, flanked by several smaller openings suggesting electro-optical and infrared sensors for target acquisition and tracking. A rectangular side module may house an additional sensor or fire-control and thermal-management subsystems. The turret has also been shown on an 8x8 carrier, implying a land variant for site protection, and importantly for the navy similar system is reported to have been observed on a Type 071 ship, indicating that naval integration is under consideration. The ensemble points to substantial electrical power and heat-exchange demand, which aligns with a weapon as dependent on kilowatts as optical stability.

The Chinese journal highlights a performance edge over U.S. solutions. The core argument rests on three elements. First, the stated 180-to-250-kilowatt envelope, which would place LY-1 above a shipboard laser such as Helios in its currently embarked form. Second, a larger optical aperture intended to improve beam quality and thus terminal effectiveness at a given range. Third, the internal volume judged sufficient to add more power units and increase available output over time. The general claim of low cost per interception, typical of lasers, supports the role against drone swarms that would otherwise consume large numbers of kinetic interceptors.

A comparison with known U.S. references helps frame the discussion. Helios, in the configuration installed on an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, has conducted shots against airborne targets and is progressing through iterative maturation. Another demonstrator, LWSD at around 150 kilowatts, has been deployed on a San Antonio-class ship. The U.S. Navy also fields ODIN modules focused on sensor dazzling rather than thermal destruction. The U.S. picture therefore, benefits from publicly acknowledged tests, repeated campaigns, and shipboard experience, even if power growth remains gradual. The Chinese picture, by contrast, shows ambitious positioning on paper and a parade demonstration, with signs of integration on a Type 071, but without a publicly documented test campaign in detail. In short, one track publishes more and iterates, while the other advances credible architecture and stated figures but offers sparse open instrumentation.

The LY-1’s intended function aligns with expectations for a point-defense naval laser. The beam is first used to degrade sensors and seekers, which can be enough to reduce a terminal-phase missile’s effectiveness. When power is available and weather windows are favorable, thermal shots deposit energy on a vulnerable point of the airframe, an antenna, a control surface, or a radome fairing. Target-to-target transitions are rapid, governed by turret agility and fire-control loops. In a ship-versus-swarm scenario, such a tool conserves expensive interceptors, frees VLS cells, and handles small threats that can saturate radars and processors. Constraints remain. Propagation through humid air, rain, sea spray, and smoke reduces effective range and terminal effect. Protecting optics at sea requires environmental covers and careful maintenance. The weapon’s viability depends on three factors: the power-and-cooling chain, beam quality with adaptive optics, and robustness in the maritime environment.

China’s intended operational use is consistent with its needs. A task group operating in the South China Sea or the western Pacific faces low-cost ISR drones, loitering munitions, and low-flying cruise missiles. The laser layer, paired with close-in HQ-10A, closes the final meters around the hull by finishing interceptions. On land, an 8x8 variant protects depots, logistics bridges, and air bases, with more varied weather but the same logic of deep, low-cost defensive fire. In all cases, the benefit is fully realized only with strong sensor fusion, clear target-priority doctrine, and rigorous training in thermal management and laser safety.

Whether the figures published by Ordnance Industry Science Technology will translate into a durable at-sea capability remains open. If Type 071 proceeds to serial fit with this turret and if evaluated shots under varied conditions confirm the employment window, China will add a credible terminal-defense layer. Absent such public evidence, comparisons with Helios and LWSD still favor programs that present tested performance over programs that present targets and claims. The LY-1 already matters for what it reveals about intent and architecture. It becomes decisive if training cycles, scheduled maintenance, and repeated firings demonstrate that the stated 180 to 250 kilowatts can be sustained in humid air, under sea spray, on station, for hours.