Chinese Microwave Weapon Could Attack Satellites
July 10th, 2026Via: Interesting Engineering:
China has released information about a new generation of high-power microwave (HPM) weapons capable of delivering up to 100 gigawatts of power. This disclosure gives a rare and detailed look at technology that could change electronic warfare and anti-satellite operations.
The details were published this month in the journal High Power Laser and Particle Beams by researchers from the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT), who described several advanced pulsed-power systems developed for China’s military.
This publication marks a rare instance of the Chinese military revealing technical information about its high-power microwave capabilities. According to the researchers, the country’s work has now moved from laboratory prototype to real military use.
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The study says microwave pulses reaching 1 GW can cause severe interference or even damage electronic hardware aboard low Earth orbit satellites. A weapon capable of producing far greater output could pose a significant threat to satellite constellations, including networks such as Starlink, if they are used for military purposes.
According to the researchers, Chinese institutions have already developed several gigawatt-class microwave weapons, with some systems reportedly delivered to users.
