technology

The weapon was designed for stealth, non-lethal operations and law enforcement, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Saturday, adding that it could fire between 1,000 and 2,000 projectiles a minute and penetrate wooden boards from dozens of metres away.

Its power levels can also be altered, meaning that on lower settings there is less chance it will kill someone and instead disable them.

The lightweight electromagnetic launcher has a barrel just 30cm (12 inches) long and can be easily held in one hand.

It is also fitted with a laser pointer to improve accuracy, according to its developer, state-owned China South Industries Group Corporation.

The weapon, also known as a Gauss gun, employs electromagnetic coils to fire metal projectiles at high speeds. Unlike conventional firearms, the electromagnetic weapon produces no muzzle flash or smoke, makes very little noise and does not discard shell casings – all of which make it ideal for stealth operations.

Saturday’s report from CCTV featured a model that had been upgraded from a test version developed last year.

The new weapon has a slightly longer barrel and can fire bigger and heavier projectiles. Although the firing speed was slower, there was a considerable increase in both the projectiles’ kinetic energy and destructive power, the report said.

It also has an electronic display that shows battery life, ammunition count and firing modes, while the shooter can adjust the gun’s electric current to control its output power and vary projectile speed based on the distance from the target and on-the-spot conditions.

“By spreading impact force to a larger area, it can effectively subdue targets while reducing the risk of fatality,” military commentator Zhang Xuefeng told CCTV.

The detachable magazine is positioned behind the centrally located grip, enabling the electromagnetic coils to span the entire length of the chassis to maximise the projectile’s acceleration distance, while maintaining a compact frame, according to the report.

Although the portable coil gun is currently intended for specialised non-lethal scenarios, mainly due to the limitations in battery power output, Zhang suggested the weapon could play a more significant role in future warfare, potentially supplementing or replacing traditional firearms in certain combat environments, as battery technology continues to improve.

China has also been developing much larger electromagnetic weapons. In 2023, the PLA Naval University of Engineering reportedly tested the world’s most powerful coil gun that could fire a 124kg (273lbs) projectile at speeds of 700 km/h (435mph).

A rail gun, another type of electromagnetic weapon that uses a pair of parallel rails to accelerate projectiles, is also under development. A prototype was reportedly seen on a People’s Liberation Army naval vessel for testing as early as 2018.