Troops carry out armed escort training during the Aman Youyi-2023 multinational military exercise held in Zhanjiang, South China's Guangdong Province, from mid-November to late November, 2023. Photo: Screenshot from the PLA Daily

 
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) deployed a new type of anti-drone gun during an ongoing multinational joint exercise with Southeast Asian countries, as China looks to address threats from small drones that have become common in recent conflicts around the globe, analysts said on Monday.

During the Aman Youyi-2023 joint drills being held in Zhanjiang, South China's Guangdong Province, a type of portable drone reconnaissance and countermeasure system made its debut, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Sunday.

Having an appearance like a rifle with a scope, the system can effectively detect, track, locate and recognize drones flying at low altitudes, according to the report.

The gun has a weight of 3.5 kilograms, and its lithium battery can support 120 minutes of use, allowing it to conduct directional interference against drones within 1.5 kilometers by forming an interference area of 17 degrees, CCTV reported.

After disrupting a target, the gun can have it landed or shot down, the report said.

With the rapid development of drone technology, not only regular militaries, but also terrorists and pirates have easy access to commercial level drones that can in effect play important roles in patrol, reconnaissance and even attack tasks, particularly first person view drones, a Beijing-based military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Monday.

The application of such drones has been combat-proven in recent conflicts in other places around the world, the expert said, noting that these low-flying, slow-flying and small drones could become as common as pistols and rifles in infantry units.

The newly unveiled anti-drone gun is seemingly designed to counter these kinds of drones, the expert said.

Other types of new equipment that are participating in the joint drills include reconnaissance robots and through-wall radar systems, the PLA Daily reported.

Hosted by China and joined by Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, the Aman Youyi-2023 multinational joint exercise aims to enhance the participants' operational capabilities in urban counter-terrorism and maritime anti-piracy operations, deepen military mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, the PLA Daily said.

The joint exercise highlights the joint deployment of multiple military services and branches, as it organizes counter-terrorism operations across multiple battlefields, be it land, sea or air, the report said.