A Chinese flotilla was spotted sailing toward the wider Western Pacific Ocean this week, the Japanese Defense Ministry reported, which included a suspected laser-armed warship.
Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email.
Why It Matters
China has the largest navy in the world by hull count, with over 370 ships and submarines in service, the Pentagon said in a report on Chinese military power. The Chinese navy has also expanded its reach and presence far away from the country's shores.
The deployment of the Chinese naval vessel came after the United States sent a destroyer equipped with a high-energy laser weapon to Japan in October 2024. USS Preble is capable of firing laser beams to destroy hostile fast attack craft and drones.
What To Know
The Japanese Defense Ministry on Wednesday reported the recent movements of China's warships in the Miyako Strait, a waterway in Japan's southwestern islands that links two marginal seas of the Western Pacific Ocean: the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea.
From Monday to Tuesday, seven Chinese warships—two Type 052D destroyers, two Type 054A frigates, one Type 075 amphibious assault ship, one Type 071 amphibious transport dock, and one Type 903 replenishment ship—transited the Miyako Strait southeastward.
The Type 071 amphibious warship was identified as CNS Siming Shan, which is armed with a laser-based directed energy weapon, specialist outlet Naval News reported in August 2024, citing images circulated on social media that were yet to be officially confirmed.
According to the report, the laser weapon was placed between the Siming Shan's main gun and the command bridge.
"The modification includes a protective and extendable cupola," Naval News said. "This design supports the notion that this is indeed some form of laser weapon."
It is not clear if the Siming Shan's laser weapon is now operational or still being tested. The Preble's laser has been tested in Fiscal Year 2024, which ended last September, to verify and validate its functionality, performance, and capabilities against drones.
Compared with traditional defensive ship-based weapons such as missiles, laser weapons could be less expensive per shot and have virtually unlimited firing power.
What People Are Saying
The Pentagon said in its Chinese military power report: "The [People's Liberation Army Navy] continues to develop into a global force, gradually extending its operational reach beyond East Asia into a sustained ability to operate at increasingly longer ranges."
Specialist outlet The War Zone wrote: "The Type 071, which displaces around 25,000 tons, includes a small flight deck at the stern and hangar space for up to four Z-8 heavy transport helicopters. It also has capacity for four air-cushion landing craft, up to around 60 armored fighting vehicles, and as many as 800 troops."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the Siming Shan will test its laser during the deployment in the wider Western Pacific Ocean, which could eventually provide "very significant" new capabilities to the Chinese fleet of warships, specialist outlet The War Zone pointed out.
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Ryan Chan is a Newsweek reporter based in Hong Kong, where he previously had over a decade of experience at ... Read more