World has known China's anti-satellite missile test in 2007. Besides the kinetic kill vehicles, however, China has been finding directed energy weapons, such as laser, to play a significant role in outer space competition since 1980s. But few opened information can be available to evaluate China's Energy Weapon Development. And some western analysts just surf via Google Earth to discover some strange facilities in China then estimate the pace of Chinese people.
Fortunately, now a Chinese Sci-tech Journal called as "Science & Technology Industry of China" disclose some interesting and important clues. In the 2011's 11th edition of this journal, there is a biography of Mr. Zhao Yijun (Chinese Characters 赵伊君), who is a professor of the well-known NUDT (National University of Defense Technology) and a High Power laser expert. His experience is almost a history of Chinese High Power Laser weapon.
According to the article, Zhao Yijun was graduated from the Department of Physics of Peking University in 1953. In 1960s, Zhao was involved in the project of Chinese Atom weapon development. He established a method to calculate the equivalent of nuclear explosion by light ray radiation. In 1970s, Zhao raised a model of multi-layered sphere in nuclear explosion. His theory promoted the application of atomic self-consistent field calculation in China.
For the influence of "Partial Test Ban Treaty" (PTBT), Zhao turned his research into Study of damage mechanism by high power laser in about 1970s. He used atomic and molecular physics theory to establish series of laser weapon models. Finally he got the different systematic specs of laser weapons for multi-type objects. In 1984, Zhao became the Research Team Leader in one Chinese Laser weapon project. For his great achievements, in 1988 he was appointed as the leading expert in one kind of "High Power Laser damage mechanism" research, which is a subtitle of Chinese edition "Star Wars", "Project 863".
After the year of 1990, the Development of Chinese Strategic Laser Weapon has entered rapid period. In 1993, Zhao and his team developed laser weapon testing facility and complete the static and quasi-dynamical test. This meant that China became the fourth state to carrying high power laser weaponizition testing after U.S., Soviet Union and France.
In 1996, a testing high power laser weapon system has been developed and then passed the dynamical shooting testing. For this, China has been the third country after United and Russia. In 2005, Zhao Yijun's Team successfully developed the prototype of Chinese's first generation of high power laser weapon. The prototype system demonstrated a laser beam attacking test. China announces that it was the second one after U.S. to carry the similar demonstration. It can concluded that the 2005 test is same with U.S.'s test in 1997, when MIRACL, or Mid-Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser, tested against a US Air Force satellite in orbit. Perhaps China also destroyed or "blinded" some space objects, which are from itself or other countries. In 2008, Zhao was awarded as Grade One of National Science and Technology Progress.
Under the analyst of Sean O'Connor, he stated that some rectangular buildings in the Tian Shan mountain range of Xinjiang province could be Chinese anti-satellite laser weapon. But some other resources did not support him. A September 28, 2006 Defense News story reported that China had recently "fired high-power lasers at U.S. spy satellites flying over its territory in what experts see as a test of Chinese ability to blind the spacecraft." This accident is just one year after the Pro. Zhao's success in 2005.
Combining all credit information, the truth can be dig out that China does have its Strategic High Power Laser Weapon. The next question is when China will use it.
