Harbin Xinguang Photoelectric Technology Co., Ltd. showcased two man-portable laser anti-drone systems at the 2026 National Defense Information Equipment and Technology Exhibition (Beijing) that opened this week — the Lijian II (30 kg) and Lijian III (25 kg). Both adopt a modular three-piece design (laser emitter ~15 kg, air-cooling unit ~10 kg, handheld control terminal) and can be carried by one or two soldiers. The price is about 2 million RMB (~$295,000) per set. The Lijian III has a power of approximately 2 kW, an effective range of ~500 m (~1,640 ft), a kill time of 4 seconds against typical drone targets, and a cooling time of less than 5 seconds between consecutive shots. It offers an elevation angle exceeding 90 degrees, enabling high-angle engagement. The system integrates AI-assisted targeting, guided by external radar sensors, to automatically identify and engage targets that enter the engagement zone. Harbin Xinguang stated that the Lijian series has already been deployed at several Chinese facilities, including military airfields, and the company seeks to expand orders through this exhibition.
From a technical positioning standpoint, the Lijian series portable versions fill the protection gap between vehicle-mounted high-power directed-energy weapons and individual firearms: The U.S. Army is testing the 20 kW vehicle-mounted LOCUST system, while Israel’s 100 kW “Iron Beam” became the world’s first high-power laser weapon to complete combat deployment late last year. At just 2 kW, the Lijian series’ power is far lower than those systems, which accordingly limits its effective range and target types, focusing on close-range threats like low, slow, and small drones. However, it offers greater tactical mobility and a much lower per-engagement cost — compared to man-portable air-defense missiles costing tens of thousands of dollars, the firing cost of a laser weapon is theoretically just the electricity. Harbin Xinguang also showcased a fixed-site version, the Lijian-10G, with a power of ~10 kW and a range of ~1,200 m, but it requires a large liquid cooling unit and is not man-portable. All parameters come from the exhibitor’s materials and have not been independently verified.