Par Jesus Maturana andJean-Philippe LIABOT
Published 07/12/2026 – 20:26 UTC+2•Updated 07/13/2026 – 0:12 UTC+2
A team from the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) published details this month in the journal High Power Laser and Particle Beams about several pulse generators developed by the Chinese military in recent years.
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Among them one stands out device capable of reaching 100 gigawatts of power by combining multiple synchronized pulse generators, researchers led by Zhang Jun explain. By comparison, a typical household microwave oven used to heat food produces 800 watts of microwave power, or 0.0000008 GW.
To measure the magnitude of this figure, experts estimate that a pulse of just one gigawatt could already cause severe interference or direct damage to a satellite’s electronics in low orbit. The system described by NUDT would increase this power by a hundredfold, although the study authors specify that the design allows for additional power increases.
The technical key, according to the article, is to synchronize multiple compact switching power modules instead of relying on a single generator, which faces electrical isolation limitations. This modular architecture allows, according to scientists, each unit to operate as close to maximum efficiency as possible without compromising the whole.
Why this technology worries large satellite constellations
The strategic interest of this technology is nothing new. In February, China had already revealed in another study the existence of a 20-gigawatt device developed by the Northwestern Institute of Nuclear Technology and clearly designed to be possible. weapons to destroy satellite networks such as Starlink.
Unlike kinetic weapons, which destroy satellites with impact and generate clouds of debris that are dangerous to any ship in orbit, including the attacker itself, microwave weapons affect electronics without physical contact. On paper, this offers the dual benefit of low operational costs relative to the value of the constellations it could neutralize, and a degree of uncertainty in determining the cause of an attack that conventional weapons do not allow.
The NUDT team admits in their paper that the goal is to achieve tens of gigawatts of power while maintaining strict volume and weight restrictions, which are important requirements if the system is to be integrated into mobile or embedded platforms.
Additional innovations and arms race context
The study also details other solutions, such as solid-state systems designed to adapt to different operating conditions, and a hybrid lithium-ion capacitor that can instantly activate at temperatures as low as -40°C. This latest improvement is especially relevant for electronic warfare forces operating in winter or polar environments, where extreme cold tends to degrade power systems.
The authors acknowledge that China has an advantage over other powers in this particular area. and attribute this position to years of continued investment in high-power impulse research.
Other countries that would like to match China’s pace face, according to the text, such obstacles as loss of industrial capacity, reduction in R&D spending and difficulties in accessing critical materials, including rare earth elements.
Further research steps, according to the article (source in English)let’s focus on improved beam control accuracy energy and reducing the size and cost of these systems are two conditions necessary for the technology to move from the laboratory to wider use.