World News for Students of English

10-11-2014 15:00

China claims to have developed a laser cannon that can shoot down small, low-flying drones.

The country’s state-controlled news agency said the weapon can hit targets within a radius of 1.2 miles and was designed by the Government Defence Agency to combat possible attacks during major public events in urban areas.

But why does China feel the need to protect itself? Well, the kind of miniature drones the laser targets are ones that are now widely available on the consumer market. This is because small, unmanned drones are cheap, quite easy to launch, and in essence are the perfect weapon for terrorists and spies.

So how does the laser work? Well, according to a report in the English language China Daily, the laser can hit a drone travelling below 1,600 feet (488 metres) at a speed of up to 110 miles per hour (177 kph), after locating it within five seconds.

Developed by the China Academy of Engineering Physics, it claims the laser has a 100 percent success rate, after shooting down more than 30 drones in a recent test, providing better accuracy than snipers and helicopters.

They added that the new laser system would be installed or transported in vehicles and is expected to play a key role in securing urban events.

According to the state media, the Defence Agency is now developing a larger, more powerful version of its laser with a greater range, allowing the government to increasingly rely on unmanned vehicles.

Difficult words: claim (say that something is true), state-controlled (the government runs something), radius (a circle around an area), consumer market (this is the normal way to buy things), in essence (basically), accuracy (how correct something is), sniper (a person who shoots something from very far away).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com