--- title: "Chinese Military Says It’s Figured Out How to Build Laser Weapons That Can Fire Indefinitely" description: "The Chinese military claims it has developed technology that would allow for \"infinite\" lasers that don't go haywire." date: "2023-08-13" modified: "2023-08-13" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/chinese-military-infinite-lasers" categories: - "Military" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "china" - "lasers" - "military tech" - "the digest" --- # Chinese Military Says It’s Figured Out How to Build Laser Weapons That Can Fire Indefinitely ![The Chinese military claims it has developed technology that would allow for "infinite" lasers that don't go haywire.]() *This image was made in the studio by shining laser beams into a fog filled room. The light from the Laser is scattered by the particles floating in the air -making the otherwise invisible beam visible. \Image: Getty Images\* ## Beam Me Up The Chinese military has announced what could be a major breakthrough in energy weapon tech — if it holds up. As the [*South China Morning Post* reports](), representatives from the country's National University of Defence Technology say they've developed a state-of-the-art cooling system that would allow high-energy lasers to remain powered up "infinitely" without getting too hot. While laser technology has existed for decades, these high-energy beams generate so much excess heat that they [often go haywire](), hampering previous attempts at [similar weapon systems]() around the world. The new Chinese cooling system, according to the report, would use gas that blows through the weapon to remove excess heat and allow for weapons to shoot precise laser beams for an indefinite amount of time without losing power or getting distorted. "High-quality beams can be produced not only in the first second, but also maintained indefinitely," the team wrote in a new paper on the purported cooling tech, published in the Chinese-language journal *Acta Optica Sinica*. ## Arms Race The United States has, as the *SCMP* notes, often dabbled in similar tech. But these projects have largely failed to become mainstream weapons because, as the report suggests, they simply weren't destructive enough. In a [tweet about the reports](), former British military official Steve Weaver noted that if the news is true, it would put China ahead of the United States in more ways than one. "If \[Chinese scientists\] have overcome the heating and distortion issues as claimed, in a (relatively) small enough unit for deployment," Weaver wrote, "this is a big breakthrough considering the US failures in this area." Along with providing a supposedly cheaper alternative to old-school missile systems because it won't need traditional munitions, these cool lasers could also be used to shoot down satellites like those provided by Elon Musk's Starlink system, military scientists told the *SCMP*. The claims should, of course, be taken with a grain of salt until we see the system in action — especially after the [so-called room-temperature superconductor debacle](). Still, it's not outside the realm of possibility — because really, why not? **More on China:** [*NASA Head Concerned That China Will Steal Lunar Resources*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()