IDEX 2019: Chinese company Poly Defence displays Silent Hunter laser defense system.

A major “attraction” of IDEX 2019 was the Chinese Silent Hunter, a laser defense system mounted on a 6x6 truck. It is basically an anti-drone laser weapon developed in China by Poly Technologies. It is an improved version of the 30 kilowatt Low-Altitude Laser Defending System (LASS) and is available in both fixed and mobile versions.

Poly Defence "Silent Hunter" (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Silent Hunter uses an electrically powered fiber optic laser. At IDEX 2019, three ranges were indicated on a screen: 200 to 2,000 meters at 10 kw, 200 to 3,000 meters at 20 kw, and 200 to 4,000 meters at 30 kw. The detection/capture range of a target is 4 km.

Although it is primarily designed to search, track, and destroy low-flying drones at speeds not exceeding 60 m/s at 200 meters, it is powerful enough to "ablate" or penetrate five 2 millimeter steel plates at a range of 800 meters or a single 5 millimeter steel plate at 1000 meters. The sheer bulk of the Silent Hunter prevents its use on an aerial platform.

A Poly official claimed that the Silent Hunter was used to safe guard the September 2016 G-20 Summit in Hangzhou, China, but this laser weapon was first unveiled at IDEX 2017. It was again showcased at the International Exhibition of Weapons Systems and Military Equipment (KADEX) in Kazakhstan in 2018. So, IDEX 2019 seems to be its third public appearance.

Closeup on the laser head of the Poly Defence "Silent Hunter" (Picture source: Army Recognition)